Dhule: Janata Party (BJP) leader and Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Vidhan Parishad, Vinod Tawde, blamed the state government for dragging its feet on the installation of CCTV cameras in Mumbai to step up security.
Tawde was addressing a gathering in Lonkhedi in Dhule, village of Mumbai Police’s constable Yogesh Patil, who died while fighting terrorists during 26/11 attack on Mumbai.
The villagers remembered their brave son Yogesh Patil on Friday on the occassion of the unveiling of a stature of the martyred policeman.
“They are still fighting over who should be given the contract of installing these camerasâthe contractors close to the Congress or those who owe allegiance to the NCP,” Tawde said after addressing the gathering in the village.
He accused the ruling parties of ignoring the recommendations of the Pradhan Committee report which stated that the Maharashtra should get a sea patrol force, vacancies to the tune of 57,000 in the police force should be filled and CCTV cameras should be installed to boost security. On the night of November 26, 2008, Patil, with several other police officers was at Cama Hospital when the terrorist fired indiscriminately. The constable died in the firing.
The Ram Pradhan Committee was set up to probe the deficiencies in the security response system after the terror attacks. It had, among other points, recommended installing CCTV cameras across Mumbai and other key cities of Maharashtra, monitoring these through various control rooms and sharing important footage with security agencies. However, having the city covered by CCTV cameras which are constantly monitored continues to be a pipe dream for Mumbai.
