Asserting that he is committed to the Constitution of the country, he said he respects all religions and communities.
A video of Nangare Patil’s speech at the Hindu Sammelan held on April 19 at Sanpada in Navi Mumbai by the Sakal Hindu Samaj went viral last week, triggering a row.
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The Maharashtra Congress demanded an inquiry into a speech delivered by the senior IPS officer at the event, where he “praised” the RSS, stating that it raises questions about his neutrality and compliance with service rules.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray also slammed Nangare Patil, saying the Nagpur top cop should resign and join the right-wing organisation if he wished to publicly express his admiration for it. He said police officer’s loyalty should lie solely with the duties and responsibilities of the force, but Nangare Patil seems eager to publicly demonstrate his allegiance to the RSS.
Addressing his first press conference after taking over as the Nagpur Police Commissioner last week, Nangare Patil said he respects all communities and religions.”I respect everyone. I am an Indian Police Service officer, and my commitment is only to the Constitution. Nagpur is the land of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Deekshabhoomi, and I remain committed to constitutional values,” he said.
Explaining his presence at the April 19 event, Nangare Patil said it was organised to spread awareness about yoga and social values.
“The programme was meant for public awareness. Spiritual leader Sudhanshu ji Maharaj was also present, and my family had also been invited,” he said.
Referring to his speech at the event, the senior IPS officer said he spoke about universal brotherhood, social harmony and fight against drug abuse. “Everything I said was within the framework of the law. I have not violated any conduct rules,” he asserted.
The police commissioner added that attending programmes organised by social organisations was part of his public outreach. “The work of social organisations is constructive. It is my duty to attend such programmes and spread awareness,” he said.
Rejecting allegations of bias, Nangare Patil said he has attended events of all religious communities. “I have participated in programmes during Ramzan Eid as well as those organised by Buddhist, Jain and Christian communities,” he said.
