BJP MLA who shot at Shiv Sena leader says 'no regrets', slams Eknath Shinde

BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad said he used the weapon because his son was being beaten at the police station.

Ganpat Gaikwad, the Bharatiya Janata Party MLA who was arrested for shooting a leader of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction over a land dispute in Thane, said he has no regrets.

BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad (left), Shiv Sena leader Mahesh Gaikwad. (HT Marathi)

Speaking to Zee24Taas news channel, Gaikwad said he used the weapon because his son was being beaten at the police station. He hit out at Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde, accusing him of trying to create a ‘kingdom of criminals’ in the state.

“Yes, I shot (him) myself. I have no regrets. If my son is being beaten in front of the police inside the police station, what will I do?,” asked Ganpat Gaikwad on firing five rounds.

“If Eknath Shinde is the chief minister, only criminals will be born in Maharashtra. He has made a good person like me a criminal today,” he said.

According to report, Gaikwad opened fire at Mahesh Gaikwad, the Shiv Sena (Shinde) chief of Kalyan inside the chamber of senior inspector of Hill Line police station in Ulhasnagar area on Friday night.

Additional commissioner of police Dattatrya Shinde told PTI that the BJP legislator's son had come to the police station to lodge a complaint in connection with a land dispute when Mahesh Gaikwad arrived with his men. Later, Ganpat Gaikwad also reached the police station.

During an altercation between the MLA and the Sena leader, Gaikwad allegedly fired shots at the Sena leader inside the senior inspector’s chamber, injuring him and his associate.

Gaikwad accused CM’s son and Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde of putting up boards and grabbing credit for the work done by him. “I had told my seniors many times that these people are indulging in violence against my leaders,” he said.

What did the BJP MLA say on land dispute?

Ganpat Gaikwad said he bought a plot ten 10 years ago. There were legal issues but was settled in his favour in the court. The BJP leader accused the Sena functionary of occupying the land by force.

“Shinde saheb betrayed Uddhav (Thackeray) saheb, he will also betray BJP… he owes me crores of rupees. Shinde should resign if Maharashtra is to be well-managed. This is my humble request to Devendra Fadnavis (deputy CM) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he added.

Fadnavis on Saturday ordered a high-level inquiry into the Ulhasnagar firing incident involving a BJP MLA and a local Shiv Sena leader, calling it “serious”.

“The Incident is serious and I have asked the DGP (director general of police) to hold a high-level Inquiry. Everyone is equal before the law irrespective of their political affiliations,” the deputy chief minister said.