Fadnavis used police to 'spy' on party rally, says NCP

The Sharad Pawar-led NCP Friday said Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis 'spied on' the party's rally by videographing it through police, and accused the BJP-led government of imposing 'emergency' through back door.

State NCP president Jayant Patil said the party would on its own send videos of its rallies to the government, which he alleged was "misusing" police machinery.

The NCP has been holding rallies as part of its public outreach programme called the 'Parivartan Yatra' to highlight alleged failures of the BJP-led central and state governments ahead of the 2019 general polls.

"Fadnavis instructed police to record videos of our #ParivartanYatra to keep an eye on us! Instead of such hidden spying, we will personally send you videos. Hope you will also notice the public anger towards your government in these videos. Don't misuse the Police Force!" Patil tweeted.

He shared on the micro-blogging site the photo of a policeman filming the NCP's rally at Khed in coastal Ratnagiri district.

Speaking at the rally, NCP leader Ajit Pawar said police have been filming the party's public meetings at a time when neither elections were being held nor the model code of conduct was in force.

"Is this democracy? At whose behest is it being done? We never misused power. But emergency is being imposed via the back door and this is the BJP's plan," a statement quoted Pawar as saying.

Party spokesperson Sanjay Tatkare wanted to know if the government also videographed rallies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah.