Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Saturday slammed newly appointed Nagpur Police Commissioner Vishwas Nangare-Patil over his speech praising the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), saying that his loyalty should lie solely with the police force. In the same breath, the MNS chief told quit police force and join BJP or the RSS.
“If you have an affinity for the Sangh, keep it to yourself; or if you wish to speak publicly, resign from service and join the Sangh or the BJP,” the MNS chief said in a social media post.
The development comes close on the heels of the Congress seeking a probe into the IPS officer’s controversial speech. Patil courted controversy after an undated video clip showing him addressing a Sakal Hindu Samaj event, a right-wing outfit facing multiple FIRs across Maharashtra for alleged hate speech, went viral on Thursday. The speech was apparently made after he was appointed Nagpur police commissioner.
‘Patil feels compelled to demonstrate loyalty’
“It seems IPS officer Nangare-Patil is suddenly feeling a desire to display dual loyalties. Being a police officer, his loyalty should lie solely and exclusively with the duties of the police force. However, here, Nangare Patil feels compelled to demonstrate his loyalty to the RSS,” the MNS chief said.
Thackeray said that Hindu conventions are being held across the state, and even though these conventions are portrayed as non-political, they are, in fact, political. “If one were to research or even contemplate who is organising these events and what their true motives are, the hands behind them would become apparent,” the MNS chief said.
The issue, he said, is whether a person in a government job, especially a police officer, should attend such events. “At such places, Nangare Patil is going and heaping praise on the RSS. Have you lost sight of the fact that you are a police officer and that impartiality is expected of an officer? In any case, a “rehabilitation guarantee scheme” for favoured officers has been running for many years now; you, too, will be rehabilitated,” he remarked.
‘Khaki colour belongs to police or RSS?’
Taking a dig at the police officer, he further said, “We were all under the impression that the khaki colour of Nangare Patil’s uniform belonged to the police force; we have only now realised that the colour belongs to the Sangh’s former khaki”.
Questioning whether dual loyalty was acceptable to the Chief Minister, Raj Thackeray said, ”Let’s leave Nangare Patil aside; he may have lost his way. But is such dual loyalty acceptable to the chief minister and the home minister?”
He reminded CM Devendra Fadnavis that he should not criticise when an officer attends a programme by some other organisation in future.
‘Fadnavis setting wrong precedents’
“When any ruling power forgets the realisation of what wrong precedents they are setting by supporting (or even remaining silent, which is also a form of support) the actions of an officer, they also forget what they are leaving behind for future generations,” he said.
Thackeray also recalled a 2012 protest march by the MNS, when a constable had come up and congratulated him for standing behind the police. ”At that time, the then-government sent him on forced leave for abandoning impartiality. Will the current government take the same stance regarding Nangare Patil?”
“Nangare Patil, you are a capable officer—at the very least, do not mortgage your conscience to political parties and organizations,” he advised.
Despite repeated attempts, Nangare-Patil was not available for comment.
Meanwhile, the Congress in Maharashtra has sought a probe into Patil’s speech. The party raised questions about the officer’s neutrality and compliance with service rules.
The Congress said as Home Minister, Devendra Fadnavis must provide answers to Maharashtra regarding this matter and the questions it has raised.
However, after watching Vishwas Nangare Patil’s speech on the stage of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), where he showered praise on the Sangh, Hindutva, and Dr. Hedgewar, a fundamental question arises: was he speaking as a constitutional officer or as a representative of a specific ideology?” The Congress asked in a post on X.
The Congress said the issue is no longer limited to Nangare-Patil alone. “It is directly connected to Maharashtra’s Home Minister and Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis. Therefore, as Chief Minister/Home Minister, Fadnavis must provide clear answers to the people of Maharashtra.”
“According to Rule 13(2)(f)(iii) of the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968, an IPS officer requires prior government permission to participate in private media, videos, or similar programmes.
Did Nangare-Patil obtain prior permission from the Maharashtra Home Department or the state government for the event he attended? If so, under what rules was it granted, and will a copy be made public? If no permission was obtained, will the government take action for the violation of the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968?,” the Congress asked.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray (left) told Nagpur police commissioner Vishwas Nangare Patil (right),"If you have an affinity for the Sangh, keep it to yourself". 
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