Maharashtra: BJP demands removal of Dhananjay Munde; NCP says let probe be completed

Following allegations of rape, the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded sacking of the social justice minister and Nationalist Congress Party leader Dhananjay Munde

Following allegations of rape, the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded sacking of the social justice minister and Nationalist Congress Party leader Dhananjay Munde. State BJP chief Chandrakant Patil said they are expecting Munde’s resignation, if not, then the NCP chief Sharad Pawar and chief minister Uddhav Thackeray should remove him from the ministerial council. He also said that the party will hit the streets if Munde was not removed.

Dhananjay Munde. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

Munde has found himself in the centre of a controversy after a woman accused him of rape on the pretext of marriage and other favours. The woman alleged that the police are not accepting her written complaint against the minister and her life is under threat. Munde, however, claimed that the woman is trying to defame and blackmail him.

“I am sure he (Munde) will resign from the ministerial council on his own. If not, then the chief minister (Uddhav Thackeray) or the NCP chief (Sharad Pawar) should take his resignation,” Patil told reporters on Wednesday.

“The allegations of rape by another woman are serious in nature and the (Munde) doesn’t deserve to be on this (ministerial) position,” he said in his statement.

Patil further said Munde admitted to having a “second wife” and two children. Going by his confession, action should be initiated against him. It is also against the ethics of politics. This information was also not mentioned in his election affidavit.

“We will wait for him to be sacked and if not, we will hit the streets demanding his removal from the ministerial position,” the state BJP chief said.

Following allegations, Munde went to meet party supremo Sharad Pawar at his Mumbai residence ‘Silver Oak’ and briefed him in detail about the issue on Wednesday. He also met the deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and food and civil supplies minister Chhagan Bhujbal during the day.

State NCP chief Jayant Patil said that concluding before the investigation would be unfair for Munde. “It is a family matter and the case is pending before the high court. Munde has also issued a detailed clarification. Let the investigation be completed and facts come before the people. It would be unfair to reach on to a conclusion without investigation,” Patil said.

In a copy of a complaint uploaded on her Twitter handle, the woman mentioned that Munde made sexual advances towards her without her consent since 2006. “He (Munde) had promised to get me launched as a singer in Bollywood,” the complaint states.

Following the post, Munde issued a public clarification on his social media account and said that the victim and her sister with whom he was in a relationship with, were blackmailing him since 2019. Her brother is also involved in the alleged conspiracy.