Mumbai, March 26 Maharashtra minister Narhari Zirwal has landed in a controversy after a video of him with a transgender person surfaced on social media, with the opposition Congress demanding the NCP leader's sacking over his "obscene and unethical behavior".
The Congress alleged that the video shows Zirwal, who is the Minister of Food and Drug Administration, in a compromising position with the transgender person at his official residence.
The opposition party condemned the incident, saying it shows the moral decline in Maharashtra's politics, and called the minister's conduct a "blot on public life".
Despite repeated attempts, Zirwal could not be contacted for his comment.
Zirwal represents the Dindori assembly constituency in Nashik district.
Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar attributed the surfacing of the video to the tussle between the ruling allies.
"This is nothing but a gang war within the government, where the ruling parties are trying to finish each other. This is not good for Maharashtra. We hang our heads in shame. The same is the case with (arrested self-styled godman) Ashok Kharat, who exploited so many women. All these developments are not good for Maharashtra," he said.
He said that according to the available information, Zirwal was with a transgender person, and the latter's brother allegedly made the video viral as part of a blackmail attempt.
"What Zirwal did at his official residence with the transgender person is absolutely wrong," the former minister said.
Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal called the incident a reflection of moral decline in state politics.
"The objectionable video of minister Narhari Zirwal going viral on social media is not just an incident, but a glaring example of moral degradation in Maharashtra's politics," he said in a social media post.
"A responsible public representative, entrusted with people's faith and taxpayers' money, indulging in such obscene and unethical behavior is extremely condemnable. This is not just a breach of personal boundaries, but a blot on public life," he said.
Sapkal also said that elected representatives are expected to adhere to basic standards of morality.
"At the very least, a minister elected by the people is expected to follow a framework of ethics. However, the video clearly shows that these expectations have been completely violated," he said.
Sapkal demanded immediate action against Zirwal, stating, "The Chief Minister must, without any delay, remove Zirwal from the ministerial post."
When reporters sought NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil's reaction over the controversial video on Wednesday evening, he refused to comment on it, saying he had not watched it.
"It would be better to comment on it if I am aware of the details. I cannot comment right now over it," Patil said.
Talking to reporters on Thursday, social activist Anjali Damania said a senior minister like Zirwal should have kept in mind the issues of propriety.
"He should have realized what he was doing, that too in government accommodation," Damania said.
"It is clear that the video was shot and made viral with an intention to blackmail," she said, and demanded a thorough probe into the issue.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s Mumbai unit president Preeti Sharma Menon said, "Despite the viral obscene video of Zirwal, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has not taken any action against him. This is really a 'kaliyug' as sex offenders are our rulers."
Last month, the opposition parties demanded the resignation of Zirwal after bribery allegations surfaced involving his office staffer.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on February 12 caught FDA clerk Rajendra Dherange while allegedly accepting a Rs 35,000 bribe at Mantralaya (state secretariat) in south Mumbai. Zirwal's private secretary, Dr Ramdas Gade, was also relieved of his post and directed to report back to his parent department following a sting operation related to bribery.