NCP leader Sule demands SIT inquiry against Navi Mumbai MLA

The Nationalist Congress Party Member of Parliament, Supriya Sule, has demanded an SIT inquiry against BJP MLA Ganesh Naik following his statement at a public meeting that ‘international dons’ know him

The Nationalist Congress Party Member of Parliament, Supriya Sule, has demanded an SIT inquiry against BJP MLA Ganesh Naik following his statement at a public meeting that ‘international dons’ know him. She said that she will take up the issue with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and also raise it in the next Parliament session.

Nationalist Congress Party MP, Supriya Sule, addressing party workers at Vishnudas Bhave Auditorium, Vashi in Navi Mumbai, on Friday. (Bachchan Kumar/HT photo)

Naik, once a close associate of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar, had quit the NCP to join BJP along with his sons, former MP Sanjeev Naik and former MLA Sandeep Naik. He had also taken most of the NCP corporators with him to BJP.

With NMMC elections expected in April, Naik had, in a public meeting in Turbhe recently, alleged ‘goondagiri’ by the opposition and declared that not just the local goons but also the ‘international dons’ knew who he was. He had also stated that he was the principal of the school where the goondas studied. The statement had generated a lot of controversy, following which Naik had stated that his statement had been misconstrued.

Taking him on at a party workers’ meet in Vashi on Friday, Sule said, “If an MLA states in public that international dons know him, then it is terrifying. It is a matter of national security and very worrying for us all, especially women to have an elected representative say this.”

Sule asked the workers to pass a resolution demanding an SIT inquiry against Naik. She said, “We will send it to state home minister Anil Deshmukh to take it up with Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, at his level. I will also take it up with Shah as the BJP under Narendra Modi had declared when it came to power that it will get these international dons. I assure you that I shall also raise the issue in the next session of Parliament in April.”

Expressing confidence of winning the NMMC elections, Sule said, “The MVA will have its mayor in Navi Mumbai.”

While Ganesh Naik was not available for comment, Navi Mumbai BJP president, Ramchandra Gharat, said, “These are politically-motivated statements. There is absolutely no connection between Ganesh Naik and the dons. Everyone knows that Naik was a minister and so it is natural for people to know him. His statement is being blown out of proportion.”