Resign and join RSS, Raj Thackeray slams feted IPS officer

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Saturday (June 27, 2026) slammed IPS officer Vishwas Nangre Patil for praising Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh on an RSS platform. He also asked the Chief Minister if the government was okay with the ‘dual loyalty’ of an IPS officer. “If you feel affection for the Sangh, keep it in your heart, or if you want to speak about it publicly, then resign from service and join the Sangh or the BJP. After all, a rehabilitation guarantee scheme for disgruntled officers has been running for many years now. Yours will happen too,” Mr. Thackeray said in his social media post.

He warned the CM of similar incidents in the future. “Tomorrow, if after you’re out of power, some officer attends an event of another organization, don’t then raise a hue and cry!” he said, reminding him of how the State government had sent a constable on forced leave for supporting his party’s agitation for the police force after the 2012 Azad Maidan riots in Mumbai, where a few police person were assaulted and the amar jyot memorial was vandalised by rioters.

Mr. Nangre Patil has recently been appointed as the Police Commissioner of Nashik. He is a celebrated officer who was appreciated for his role during 26/11 terror attack on Mumbai in 2008. He was recently invited to an RSS event where he praised the organisation for its discipline, dedication and patriotism.

The opposition has hit out at the police officer for his speech praising the RSS. Congress leader Praful Gudadhe said he feared that Mr. Nangre Patil will attest leaders like him for being ‘urban naxals’.

Raising questions about the organisers of the event, Mr. Thackeray asked Mr. Nangre Patil if he had forgotten that a police officer is expected to be impartial and be loyal only to his/her uniform.

“Whether it’s Nangre Patil or someone else, my request to them is: if you’re running after the government or the organizations behind it, that’s exactly what they want. But Nangre Patil, you are a good, efficient officer-don’t you at least pawn your sense of propriety before political parties and organizations!” he said.