Facebook Live murder: Fadnavis slammed for "dog under vehicle" remark

Maharashtra home minister Devendra Fadnavis was slammed by the opposition in Maharashtra today, 9 February, for his apparently off-the-cuff remark on the killing of former Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator Abhishek Ghosalkar during a Facebook Live event.

Replying to a query during a media interaction, Fadnavis—who is also the state's deputy chief minister—termed the opposition’s charges as politically motivated.

“This (Ghosalkar’s killing) is a serious incident, but even if a dog were to come under a vehicle, they (the opposition) will seek the home minister’s resignation,” Fadnavis said.

State Congress president Nana Patole said the remark by Fadnavis, as a senior BJP leader, was irresponsible.

“If this is Fadnavis' reaction, then it is unfortunate,” Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad said. “The law and order situation in the state is in a shambles and Fadnavis should resign, owning moral responsibility,” the former minister added.

Ghosalkar was shot dead by Mauris Noronha, a local 'social activist', who also ended his own life during the Facebook Live event in Mumbai on Thursday evening, 8 February.

A viral video of the incident, which took place at Mauris Noronha's office in Immaculate Conception (IC) Colony, in the northern suburb of Borivali (West), showed Ghosalkar being shot in the abdomen and shoulder.

The attack, streamed live on Facebook, came days after Maharashtra witnessed CCTV camera footage of a BJP MLA opening fire inside a police station in the neighbouring Thane district, raising concerns about the law and order situation in the city and the state.