‘Take action against MP for vandalising forest office in Thane’

THANE: In a letter to DK Jain, chief secretary of the state, the Indian Forest Service (IFS) Association, Maharashtra, demanded action against Kalyan MP, Shrikant Shinde, and other Shiv Sena protestors for unlawful assembly, verbally assaulting forest officials and flinging the ashes of burned trees on them.

After there were several attempts of burning over one lakh saplings in Ambernath last week, Shinde, on November 19, had staged a protest at chief conservator of forest, Rajendra Kadam’s office in Kopri.

Shinde, with 250 others, had barged into Kadam’s office and thrown ashes over him. He also hurled abuses and protestors threw potted plants in his office while trying to vandalise it. Following this, the forest department had suspended one of its officers and staged a protest against Shinde’s behaviour on November 20.

On Wednesday, the IFS in its letter, said, “The act of flinging ash and insulting and intimidating the officer proves that the MP not only acted unlawfully, but also like a criminal.”

Sanjeev Gaur, honorary secretary of IFS has asked the state to intervene and prosecute Shinde under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). These include criminal conspiracy, rioting, using force of violence, obstructing a public servant, voluntarily

causing hurt and violence or attack on public servant among others.

“The forest officials should be prosecuted for murder of the trees. Everyone who protested had planted those trees. In spite of two attempts to destroy the trees, the forest chief did not survey the damage. Whatever happened in the office was an emotional reaction by the people,” Shinde told Hindustan Times.

He demanded an audit into the 13 crore trees planted by the forest department in Thane district.

Meanwhile, DK Jain, chief secretary, said, “The Association is looking into the matter. The government is committed to protect civil servants and bureaucracy to ensure that they discharge their duties without favour or fear. We are convening a meeting on Thursday along with police authorities and action will be taken against the guilty.”