Hailing the Bombay High Court's verdict setting aside the appointment of A N Roy as the Maharashtra Director General of Police, the Shiv Sena on Friday renewed its demand for the removal of state Home Secretary Chitkala Zutshi for the 'failure of bureaucracy' to ensure law and order.
"Roy enjoyed political patronage that led to his illegal appointment as the top cop. He continues to stick to his chair despite a rap from the Central Administrative Tribunal, High Court and a rising disgust among the common people of Maharashtra," an editorial in the Sena mouthpiece Saamna said.
The Sena has been consistently demanding Roy's removal from the top post. "The chief minister and home minister had to quit responding to public wrath. But DGP Roy, Mumbai Police Commissioner Hasan Gafoor and Home Secretary Chitkala Zutshi are shamelessly occupying their positions in the aftermath of November Mumbai attacks and the Naxalite ambush in Gadchiroli", it said.
The editorial said, "We have no axe to grind against Roy, Zutshi and Gafoor. However, the style of functioning of this self-seeking trio has proved detrimental to peace and security of Maharashtra."
Roy propagated enforcement of law for common citizens while trampling upon all norms to occupy and retain his own illegal position with the blessings from political godfathers, the editorial alleged.
The editorial said that even if the DGP was on his way out, the state Home Department still remained 'eclipsed' with the continued presence of secretary Chitkala Zutshi, who was totally 'unconcerned' with the happenings around.