Congress claims complete collapse of law and order in Fadnavis-led Maharashtra
3 min readMumbaiApr 15, 2026 08:36 PM IST
The Opposition on Wednesday alleged a “complete collapse” of law and order in the state and renewed its demand for the appointment of a full-time Home Minister, a portfolio currently held by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis himself.
Leading the attack, state Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal cited a series of recent incidents—from alleged illegal drug consumption and sex rackets to cases involving sexual exploitation, conversion allegations, and blackmail using objectionable videos—to question the government’s handling of internal security.
“Under Fadnavis’s tenure, law and order in the state have completely collapsed. While the drug trade flourishes openly, cases like the Ashok Kharat matter, the sexual exploitation of female employees in a Nashik IT company, and the sexual assault of hundreds of girls in Amravati have come to light. In the Nashik case, the issue of forced conversion is being discussed. There is a need to make the FIR public, and strict action must be taken in all these instances. Because the state lacks a full-time Home Minister, the situation in Maharashtra has become extremely critical,” Sapkal said.
Reiterating allegations of political patronage to narcotics networks, Sapkal questioned the functioning of the police. “What does it signify when drug and liquor parties are held right in front of a police station at NESCO in Mumbai? This is a failure of the police administration, the Home Minister, and Devendra Fadnavis as the Chief Minister,” he added.
Referring to alleged sexual harassment cases in Nashik and Amravati, Sapkal said that even as the law and order situation deteriorates, authorities must ensure proper investigation.
He described the incident in Achalpur (Paratwada), involving the alleged exploitation of young women and circulation of objectionable videos on social media, as “deeply outrageous.”
Echoing similar concerns, Congress Legislative Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar called for stringent legal action. “Strict legal provisions, including MCOCA, should be invoked against all those involved in the Amravati incident. A special SIT must conduct an in-depth probe into this case; no one should be shielded, and the guilty must receive the harshest punishment,” he said.
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Former minister and Congress leader Yashomati Thakur also demanded a special investigation team. “The incident that occurred in Paratwada, Amravati district, is extremely heinous. We have demanded that the police administration establish an SIT to investigate this matter. Rather than bringing up religion and caste in every case, it is essential for the Home Department and the Cyber Cell to work more vigilantly. While houses are being demolished as a form of action in some places, why has Ashok Kharat’s house not been demolished yet in the Kharat case?” she asked.
