Riyaz Deshmukh: 'My late boss Hemant Karkare was a dabangg cop. Speaking against him, Pragya Thakur hurt all police officers in the country'
Retired ACP Riyaz Deshmukh had worked with late ATS chief Hemant Karkare. Deeply upset by BJP nominee Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur's recent statements about Karkare, Deshmukh decided to battle her in Bhopal.
Riyaz Deshmukh has filed his nomination papers as an independent candidate.
He is a retired assistant commissioner of police — deeply upset over the maligning of slain Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare in the Malegaon blast case. Deshmukh will contest the Lok Sabha elections from Bhopal — against Pragya Singh Thakur.
“When I came to know what Pragya had spoken against Karkare, I was taken aback. I had never planned to fight any elections. How can someone who has never met or spoken with him say such a thing about a police officer who sacrificed his life for the nation?” he now asks.
Deshmukh retired as an ACP from Amravati in 2016. Since then, he has been living in Aurangabad. When he retired, he was heading the Amravati crime branch.
“I was a simple sub-inspector in 1988 when Karkare was SP of that area. I had very close relations with him — he was a ‘dabangg’ cop. Karkare told all of us, do your duty honestly and don’t worry about anyone saying anything to you. I will back you up. And that’s exactly what he did. He would stand up for us against everyone but never allowed any police officer to take bribes or be afraid of any political pressure. Karkare always led by example, he protected us and treated us as family members,” he adds.
Deshmukh said after a few years, Karkare got transferred to Mumbai — then, the 26/11 attacks took place. “I was watching television that night when I came to know that sir is no more. I was completely broken. After a few months, I visited his wife to pay my homage,” says Deshmukh.
Staying in Aurangabad, Deshmukh says that he has come to Bhopal now only to defeat Sadhvi Pragya. “I have come to Bhopal only to contest against Pragya Thakur and defeat her. See, no one can stop anyone from fighting elections, but I will defeat her hands down,” he says defiantly.
What Thakur said against Karkare was not taken well by police officers in the country.
“Everyone in the police force is hurt. No one is taking this easily, even though she has apologised for what she said but that’s not good enough. She is not going to win,” adds Deshmukh. He says that he doesn’t need money for his campaign as he is going to use the power of social media against Thakur. Deshmukh also went on to say that in the next few days, he will make a big revelation.
“Wait for a few more days — I will come out with something big,” he hints.
Riyaz Deshmukh is one of the 45 other candidates who have filed their affidavits to fight from this constituency.
Some of the candidates come from parties like the Samagra Utthan Party, Right to Recall Party, Smart Indians Party, Swarnim Bharat Inquilab Party, Ahinsa Samaj Party, an Adhikar Party, Bharat Prabhat Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Sarvadharam Party (Madhya Pradesh), Sanatan Sanskriti Raksha Dal, Bhartiya Shakti Chetna Party, Samta Vikas Party, Swarnim Bharat Inquilab Party, Sapaks Party, Akhil Bhartiya Vikas Congress Party, Bahujan Shakti — besides independents.
And, to top it all, there is also another Pragya Thakur — who is in the frame as an independent candidate.