Maha BJP Minister has 'lost mental balance', alleges Congress

Mumbai, Dec 12 (IANS) Distancing itself from the "ink attack" on Maharashtra Higher & Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil on Saturday, the state's opposition Maharashtra Congress on Monday claimed that the BJP leader has lost "his mental balance".

"We do not support that incident. But after the incident, 10 policemen have been suspended and a journalist who was covering it has been arrested. Was it necessary to impose such restrictions on the journalist?" state Congress President Nana Patole asked.

Even the Shiv Sena-UBT and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders have washed their hands off the incident which was condemned by several BJP leaders including Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday.

In a strong hit, Patole said that "Patil has lost his mental balance and needs treatment", and targeted the state government for its "swift, vengeful action" following that incident.

"Looking at his behaviour, it seems his mental balance has been disturbed. We are worried about him, he should seek treatment from a good doctor on priority. I pray that Lord Ganesha gives wisdom to Patil and other great BJP leaders," said Patole sarcastically.

However, Patole pointed out that the BJP was not so quick in taking action against Patil and others who have been repeatedly hurling insults at great icons of the state including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, et al, besides Opposition political leaders.

Referring to the Saturday developments after the ink-attack on him in Pune, Patil said that whatever action was taken has been done by the Police department.

NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal also took a jibe at Patil saying that nobody had ever died due to an ink attack to which the latter retorted saying if it (the ink) had gone into his eyes, it could have caused cancer.

Sena-UBT MP and chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut also said such incidents cannot be supported, while slamming Patil for his comments on the state's great personalities.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi allies have also objected to the manner in which Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari - currently under fire for his recent utterances - shared the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Nagpur on Sunday.