Pune Blast - R.R. Patil Once Again Proves His Inefficiency

After the 26/11 massacre of Mumbai two Home Ministers had lost their jobs – Mr Shivraj Patil in the Central Government and Mr R.R. Patil in the Maharashtra Government. After that the ruling coalitions at both the places contested elections, and won back their respective positions. While Shivraj Patil was not brought back to his old position by the UPA II at the Centre, the Congress-NCP coalition of Maharashtra surprisingly brought back R.R. Patil as the Home Minister of the State. It was a decision that understandably raised many eyebrows, with sporadic voices of criticism and disagreement. People were worried that Patil’s ineptitude would once again make the State to pay a dear price.


And that people were right that has been proved after the shocking Pune blast, which was again the result of an intelligence failure as had happened in the case of 26/11.

While the Home Minister may not be held responsible for each and every intelligence failure, in this case there is no doubt that there has been lapses on the part of Patil himself. The Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai has gone on record saying that the Central Government had warned the State Government – in February 2009 – about the possibility of one such attack in Pune. And R.R. Patil is saying that he had no knowledge of any such communication from the Centre.

If it is true that Patil indeed had the knowledge of any such communication, then he showed unpardonable callousness by ignoring the same, and should immediately be shown the door.

And if it is true that he really did not have any idea about any such information, then again it proves his own inefficiency. Why? Because in that case it is proved that the Maharashtra Home Department is being run in an unorganized manner, where proper sharing and subsequent analysis of critical information is not taking place. And it is the Home Minister himself who should be held responsible for the same.

So whatever the truth may have been, one thing is certain that R.R. Patil should be sacked with immediate effect. He clearly does not have the competence and efficiency that are required to occupy the crucial position of the Home Minister, and his holding that office actually poses a serious threat for the common people of the State of Maharashtra.