This story is from October 15, 2016

Chavan for full-time home minister

A full-time home minister for the state is the need of the hour, former chief minister and state Congress president Ashok Chavan said on Friday.
Chavan for full-time home minister
<p> former chief minister and state Congress president Ashok Chavan<span class="redactor-invisible-space"></span><br></p>
PUNE: A full-time home minister for the state is the need of the hour, former chief minister and state Congress president Ashok Chavan said on Friday.
Citing tension between communities in Nashik, Chavan said chief minister Devendra Fadnavis must not keep the home ministry portfolio as he was not able to give time to handle the situation.
Chavan's demand comes after Shiv Sena executive chief Uddhav Thackeray's similar statement last month.
Fadnavis holds the home ministry portfolio along with other departments.
"Considering the social tension that prevails in the state, there is need for a full-time home minister. Social conflicts are getting sharper and the law and order situation is worsening. I have been a chief minister and I know it is impossible to do justice to the home ministry while holding the CM's post. The home ministry needs focused attention and it is time Maharashtra gets a full-time home minister," Chavan told reporters.
Day-to-day meetings of the home ministry are necessary and the law and order situation in the state must be maintained, he added. "The number of rape cases and serious crimes are going up. The situation in Nagpur (Fadnavis's home town) is bad," Chavan said.
On reservations for Marathas, Chavan said the state government was unenthusiastic about filing an affidavit in the court. By making announcements of concessions for the economically backward category students, the government was merely buying time, he said.

"The basic demand for reservation must be met. The state is misguiding the Maratha community and is not willing to give it reservation," said Chavan.
On allegations by some Maratha community leaders that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was getting involved in their marches to create tension, Chavan said the marches were being organized by Marathas and no specific organization had any role to play in it.
On Fadnavis's statement that he has the kundli (horoscope) of his opponents and will come out with all the information when required, Chavan said, "Nobody is going to always remain a chief minister. Whatever information he has, he must declare. Even otherwise, nothing can be hidden because of Right to Information Act."
On a poll alliance with Nationalist Congress Party in local governing body polls, Chavan said the party's state unit will take a call based on feedback from district units. "NCP and Congress leaders are meeting in Mumbai on Saturday to discuss the legislative council polls," he said.
Chavan alleged that the government was not able to check inflation rate and was interfering with the cooperative sector to derail the cooperative movement in the state.
On whether the Congress was planning action against Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam for his statements on India's surgical strikes in Pakistan, Chavan said the matter was closed.
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