BJP firm on demand for Nawab Malik’s resignation, says Devendra Fadnavis

Speaking on the eve of the budget session of the state legislature, Fadnavis noted that the wounds of the 1993 bomb blasts in Mumbai were fresh even today.

Mumbai: Accusing the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government of trying to shield minorities welfare minister Nawab Malik as he belonged to the minority community, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sought Malik’s resignation. The BJP has indicated that the budget session of the state legislature which begins from Thursday, may be off to a stormy start over the issue.

BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis speaks to jounalists while chairing a meeting of the BJP's members of the Legislative Assembly and Council as the budget session is set to begin from Thursday, in Mumbai, India, on Wednesday. (Satish Bate/HT PHOTO)

Malik, who belongs to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), was arrested on February 23 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in an alleged money laundering case linked to the 1993 Mumbai blasts accused and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. The MVA, whose leaders have charged that the BJP-led union government is using central enforcement agencies to target opposition figures, has dug its feet in, and refused to take Malik’s resignation.

Leader of opposition in the state legislative assembly Devendra Fadnavis said, “Something that has not happened so far in Maharashtra and the country is taking place in Maharashtra. After the arrest of minister Nawab Malik on charges of transacting with an accused in the bomb blasts case and an associate of Dawood Ibrahim and (on accusations of) money laundering, the entire cabinet has supported him.”

Speaking on the eve of the budget session of the state legislature, Fadnavis noted that the wounds of the 1993 bomb blasts in Mumbai were fresh even today.

He added that this was the first instance of someone holding on to their ministerial berth despite being arrested and remanded to police custody. Fadnavis also accused the MVA of failing sections like farmers, Marathas and other backward classes (OBCs).

“I am surprised that the government, which is headed by a Shiv Sena leader (Uddhav Thackeray) is standing by someone accused of having dealings with murders of (people from) Mumbai. This is unfortunate,” he charged. “If this is their stance, then this government is one that has surrendered to Dawood… his (Malik) resignation should be taken as he is a minister and he has purchased land from an accused in the bomb blasts who is linked to Dawood. Land worth crores was purchased for a pittance,” alleged Fadnavis.

“The government has not sought the resignation of Nawab Malik and is sending a signal to a certain section to ensure polarisation. (Shiv Sena leader and forest minister) Sanjay Rathod had to resign immediately and Nawab Malik who has been accused of transacting with those involved in sedition… is being saved. This is unfortunate,” said Fadnavis.

“We will expose this government on a large-scale… it is acting against the interests of the farmers, common man and democracy,” alleged Fadnavis, while adding that they had decided to boycott the customary tea party organised by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on the eve of the session.

“Corruption is at its zenith. This dispensation is the most corrupt in the history of Maharashtra,” said Fadnavis, while accusing it of failing on all fronts. “The only segment that the government feels close to is the liquor lobby. This is a government dedicated to drunkards,” he charged.

Fadnavis said that the MVA was relentlessly targeting BJP leaders like union minister Narayan Rane, his son and legislator Nitesh, leader of opposition in the state legislative council Pravin Darekar and party functionary Mohit Kamboj. Fadnavis sought police protection for Kamboj, who has been criticised by Shiv Sena leaders, and also dared the MVA to act on allegations of corruption during the previous BJP-led regime.

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Indian students in Ukraine may have miscalculated gravity of situation despite advisory: Fadnavis

In what may stir a controversy, Fadnavis defended the Narendra Modi-led government against charges that there was a delay in rescuing stranded students from war-hit Ukraine and said that these students did not heed initial advisories to return.

“The opposition is used to finding something bad in good work. In their times, no such operations took place. Our citizens were left to the mercy of God. The Modi government had announced in the beginning that the situation may deteriorate so everyone must return. But perhaps the students there may not have realised the gravity of the situation,” he said. After the situation took a turn for the worse, the Modi government had launched ‘Operation Ganga’ to bring all of them back and so far, around 1,200 to 1,500 students had returned, he added.