Ajit Pawar blames state govt for Jitendra Awhad’s arrest

Earlier on Monday, Awhad announced that he was resigning from his post after the Mumbra police on Sunday night registered a case against him

In light of NCP leader Jitendra Awhad’s claim that “fake” cases were being registered against him, senior party leader Ajit Pawar on Monday said the case against party MLA had been registered in a wrong manner and it needs to be withdrawn. Ajit Pawar blamed the Maharashtra government for the police case registered against Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Jitendra Awhad, and entreated him not to resign from his post.

In light of NCP leader Jitendra Awhad’s claim that “fake” cases were being registered against him, senior party leader Ajit Pawar on Monday said the case against party MLA had been registered in a wrong manner and it needs to be withdrawn. (HT FILE PHOTO)

Earlier on Monday, Awhad announced that he was resigning from his post after the Mumbra police on Sunday night registered a case against him under section 354 (assault on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) for allegedly manhandling a female activist of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the crowd while exiting a function.

The complainant alleged that the NCP leader had pushed her while making way for himself during the dispersal of a crowd after an event of the chief minister in Mumbra on Sunday evening, as per the First Information Report (FIR).

Pawar said, “I saw the incident. Chief minister Eknath Shinde was also present when the incident occurred. Everyone knows that Awhad has led agitations on various issues. But the state government is misusing its powers.”

“I first appealed Awhad not to resign at any cost. If anyone is guilty, they should be punished but the police should not take action intentionally,” Pawar added.

“NCP supremo Sharad Pawar has faced a lot of critical situations. There have been many false allegations against him as well, but he never worried over them. Awhad should take lessons from the party leadership. The law and order situation in the state is floundering. A day before during the bullock cart races, someone carried out open firing. This government cannot always claim that it is new. They have completed nearly five months and they need to maintain law and order in the state,” Pawar said

Furthermore, Pawar warned that while they were in the opposition today, they would be back in power some day and taking this into consideration, the ruling government should not misuse power. Chief minister Shinde and deputy chief minister Fadnavis need to look into the law and order situation and the filing of cases against opposition leaders, he said.