Dhananjay Munde assumes office amid demands for removal

NCP minister Dhananjay Munde faces opposition calls for dismissal over sarpanch murder. He claims attacks on him are political, urges swift justice.

Intro: The new food and civil supplies minister also met the chief minister on Thursday, claims someone in Oppn wants to ‘end his career’

Dhananjay Munde assumes office amid demands for removal

MUMBAI: With the opposition mounting pressure for the dismissal of NCP minister Dhananjay Munde, in connection with the murder of a sarpanch in Beed district, Munde took charge of his ministry on Thursday. Munde, who also called on chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, told the media that the individual responsible for the murder should be given the strictest punishment even if the latter turns out to be a close associate of him. Munde, the new food and civil supplies minister, attributed the allegations against him to people in the opposition who wanted to “end his political career”.

Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch (elected village council head) of Massajog village was brutally murdered on December 9. His family as well as Opposition parties have alleged that local strongman Valmik Karad is the mastermind behind the murder.

MLAs from district as well as other politicians allege that Karad, who is a close associate of Dhananjay Munde, should be arrested. Opposition parties also allege that Munde has been supporting Karad and should be sacked as a minister.

Fadnavis on December 20 had announced a judicial probe into the case and a report is expected in six months. A special investigation team (SIT) has also been constituted under an inspector-general of police to investigate the killing. Fadnavis also transferred Beed district superintendent of police Avinash Bargal following the murder.

Karad and his aides have been booked for extortion of ₹2 crore – Deshmukh had allegedly exposed an extortion attempt involving a local company – and will be charged under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crimes Act (MCOCA). It is feared that an impartial investigation cannot be conducted as long as Munde is a minister in the government, as he was elected from Parli in Beed district. Munde was a minister in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) as well as the Mahayuti governments. He is considered to be close to NCP chief Ajit Pawar, and played a role in splitting the party in 2023.

All political parties except the NCP have organised a march in Beed on December 27, to demand the arrest of Karad and Munde’s removal from the state cabinet. It is against this backdrop that Munde called on Fadnavis on Thursday, soon after he took charge as food and civil supplies minister.

“The persons responsible for the murder should be hanged, even if he turns out to be close to me. I have urged the chief minister to hold the trial in a fast-track court so that the guilty is punished at the earliest,” Munde told the media.

Regarding the demand for his resignation, Munde said: “There are some people targeting me. They are trying to end my political career,” he alleged. He also said he was not denying that Karad is a close aide of his but added that the latter has worked with other politicians in the district as well, including BJP legislator Suresh Dhas. Significantly, Dhas has been demanding action against Karad and Munde.

Damania posts picture of Munde wielding revolver

Activist Anjali Damania, who has been vocal over the Beed murder case, on Thursday posted a picture on social media of Dhananjay Munde wielding a revolver. She also posted a video which showed Munde driving a vehicle with Valmik Karad, accused of being involved in the Deshmukh murder, seated next to him. Damania has also alleged that Beed district tops the districts in the state for the number of gun licences issued.