Sharad Pawar attacks Centre over ED cases in Maharashtra

NCP chief Sharad Pawar said ED cases against Maharashtra leaders were an effort to discourage the BJP’s opponents by using such agencies.

PUNE: Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday said federal agency Enforcement Directorate’s actions against various Maharashtra leaders were an attempt to encroach on the state government’’s rights and discourage political opponents.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar attacked the Centre for ED investigations against Maharashtra politicians linked to the ruling alliance in the state (PTI)

“Never heard of so many ED actions in Maharashtra in the past. One action is going on against Khadse, another against Anil Deshmukh, also against Bhawna Gawali. There is an attempt to encroach upon the state government’’s rights case and discourage the opponents by using these agencies as tools,” said NCP chief, a key architect of Maharashtra’s Maha Vikas Aghadi government that came to power in November 2019 by stitching an alliance between NCP-Congress-Shiv Sena.

Many senior leaders of the three-party coalition such as transport minister Anil Parab, Lok Sabha MP Bhavana Gawali and MLA Pratap Sarnaik (Shiv Sena), former home minister Anil Deshmukh, Eknath Khadse (NCP), among others have got notices from ED. In the case of Anil Deshmukh, both the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and ED are investigating allegations of extortion against him.

To a specific question on ED searches at premises linked to Bhavana Gawali, Pawar said the raids were allegedly linked to educational institutions .

“When there are allegations against these kinds of institutions, the complaints can be lodged before the charity commissioner. If not the charity commissioner, then there are state government agencies, but here, directly ED was involved,” the former Union minister said.

Covid protocol

On crowds gathering at programmes attended by political leaders despite fears of a third Covid-19 wave, Sharad Pawar said, “I have seen many events happening where the (Covid-19 prevention) protocols are not being followed.”

Pawar said since Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray asked political parties to immediately stop agitations, meetings and other events to avoid crowding, he will not attend programmes involving large gatherings. “I will only attend programmes organised indoors with a limited number of people,” he said.