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‘Stop targeting our kin’: Maharashtra CM attacks BJP
Thackeray also criticised the BJP for seeking Malik’s resignation over alleged links with Dawood Ibrahim and reminded the saffron party that it once shared power with the PDP, which had ‘backed’ terror convict Afzal Guru.
Three days after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seized assets of his brother-in-law, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday lashed out against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for targeting family members of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders “by using central agencies”.
He also dared BJP to fight head-on instead of using the agencies and said that the action against them was out of desperation for power.
Thackeray, who was speaking in the legislative Assembly in reply to a concluding week motion on Friday, said, “The central agencies are being used as ‘Shikhandi’ in Mahabharat as they have not been able to face us. We are ready to take them head-on if they dare to. You (BJP) have been doing this for the sake of power. If you think ours is a corrupt government, I am ready to come to you, please arrest me and put me behind the bars. But stop the witch-hunting and targeting our relatives. I am not speaking out of fear, but this not going to take us anywhere. It is not in the interest of the people who want constructive development. The action by the central agencies is condemnable, perverse and malicious.” he said.
“Had the attempt of the formation of the short-lived government with the help of NCP leader Ajit Pawar in November 2019 succeeded, you would have sat with Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik as ministers. Had we bowed before you and joined hands to form the government, would the action by the central agencies have been taken against us and our relatives?” he added.
On March 22, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) froze assets worth ₹6.45 crore belonging to Thackeray’s brother in law Shridhar Patankar.
Income tax raided the premises of several people close to Aaditya Thackeray, the state environment minister, on March 8. ED arrested former home minister Anil Deshmukh (November 2, 2021) and state minister Nawab Malik (February 23) in connection with money laundering cases.
Responding to Thackeray’s statements, the Leader of Opposition and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “ Uddhav spoke about Shikhandi in Mahabharata, but he should remember that power was grabbed by Kauravas by deceiving Pandavas (in reference to Shiv Sena joining hands with NCP and Congress after 2019 polls). Unmoved Pandavas fought the battle till end. We will keep fighting like Pandavas.”
The CM also questioned if the BJP wants to use the name of Dawood Ibrahim for the sake of political mileage in the coming election like they used Ram temple in previous elections.
“The perception is being created as if we are directly linked with the underworld don. If they (BJP) think that Dawood Ibrahim is a threat to the country, why the (central) government does not take action against him and nab him to bring back. Former US president Barak Obama did not use terrorist Osama Bin Laden’s name for politics, but took stern steps and killed him. Do you (the opposition) know about the whereabouts of the fugitive gangster?” he said.
Thackeray also criticised the BJP for seeking Malik’s resignation over alleged links with Dawood Ibrahim and reminded the saffron party that it once shared power with the PDP, which had ‘backed’ terror convict Afzal Guru.
“You have been talking about the links with the terrorists and gangsters, but you formed the government in Jammu and Kashmir with Mehbooba Mufti who had opposed the hanging of Afzal Guru for his role in the terrorist attack on the parliament (in 2001). Mehbooba had visited terrorist Burhan Wani’s home after his killing in an anti-insurgency operation in 2016. Indeed, the incidents did not take when the two-party government was in the power, but the people and party (PDP’s Mufti) were the same, and their ideology had not changed,” he said.
Fadnavis said that he was disappointed by the former’s stance of standing by Nawab Malik.
“He avoided answering the allegations of corruption and instead, tried to shield Nawab Malik. If they claim that the action against their leaders is out of political vendetta, what should the action against Pravin Darekar be called? We will continue our agitation for the sacking of Malik. We will demand the criminal cases against the ruling party leaders, similar to the action against Darekar for their appointment on the cooperative bodies from the quota reserved for labourers and mathadi workers,” he said.
