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The Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party opposition on Wednesday staged a walkout in Maharashtra legislative assembly, charging the Congress-led Democratic Front government with 'political motivation' to drop Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance charges against alleged Al Qaeda terrorist Mohammed Afroz.
Raising the issue through an adjournment motion, leader of opposition Narayan Rane sought to know whether the government had consulted the advocate general before withdrawing POTO charges against the suspected terrorist allegedly involved in the conspiracy to blow up House of Commons in London and the Indian Parliament.
"Whose interests are being served by the move to withdraw the charge?" Rane asked, wondering whether it was to suit the Congress party, which was opposing the Prevention of Terrorism Bill in Parliament.
Describing the move as 'utterly surprising', Rane said, "I want to know what happened between March one, when POTO was applied against Afroz and yesterday (Tuesday), when an appeal (to the court) was made to drop the charge."
Sharing similar sentiments, BJP leader Gopinath Munde said that if applying POTO charges against Afroz was a mistake then action should be taken against Police Commissioner M N Singh immediately.
"Otherwise, I will be compelled to say that government had misused the provisions of POTO," Munde said.
"What happened suddenly that the government suo moto urged the court to drop the charge?" Munde asked, claiming that Maharashtra has 'earned the distinction of being the first state to misuse POTO'.
Assembly Speaker Arun Gujarathi said that Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, who also holds home ministry, had on Tuesday night presented the government's point of view over the issue with an assurance that a written statement would be made on Wednesday.
This prompted the opposition members to demand an immediate statement from the government over the matter.
Intervening, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said that the issue raised by the opposition was a 'serious one'.
"The home minister has already presented the government's view and a detailed statement would be made at the earliest, that would leave no doubts in anyone's mind," Deshmukh said.
However, Rane said 15 hours have passed since Munde raised the issue in the house and yet the government was not able to satisfy the members on an issue of 'vital importance and national security'.
The Sena-BJP members then staged a walkout.
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