Maharashtra
Democracy in peril due to BJP’s ‘monstrous’ political ambitions: Thackeray
Shiv Sena President and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday warned that democracy in India is at peril owing to the “monstrous ambitions” of the Bharatiya Janata Party to control everything.
“A conspiracy to eliminate all the opposition and regional parties in the country is going on in full swing… The ruling party (BJP) is scared of the opposition. It indicates their inefficiency,” said Thackeray, in the concluding part of a marathon “birthday interview” to Sanjay Raut, Executive Editor of the Sena mouthpieces “Saamana” and “Dopahar Ka Saamana” newspapers.
He pointed out that democracy does not mean winning (elections) everytime, be it any party – Shiv Sena, Congress, NCP, BJP, etc – nobody gets consecutive victories, all have to win or lose, new parties keep emerging, shine for some time – “that is a real democracy”.
However, the gargantuan aspirations (of the BJP) of keeping everything under their heels coupled with whatever they say is right, makes them apprehensive of the opposition, he said.
Recalling the late Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s refrain – “Power comes and goes, but the country should remain”, Thackeray said: “I was the CM yesterday, I am not today and am sitting in front of you… What’s the difference? Power comes and goes… and returns, but it doesn’t matter to me.”
He emphasised the need for all political parties to unite and work for the country, or they shall be labelled as “enemies” of our nation, as there are stupendous problems like inflation, unemployment, etc, that confront the people.
Thackeray took a swipe at the BJP-government on how various central investigation agencies are harassing the Opposition, arresting their leaders first and framing the charges later, “defaming them in a dirty and perverted manner intended to ruin their careers”.
Referring to BJP leader and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari’s statement that his party was like a “washing machine” which makes people facing allegations “virtuous”, Thackeray said this is not really the sign of a strong ruler, but one in fear.
To Raut’s query on how to overcome such oppression, Thackeray said that first all should have a desire to get out of it, as people did during the Emergency and united to form the Janata Party.
At that time, he said the Janata Party (1975-1977) did not even have election agents at polling booths, yet people of all classes voted for them overwhelmingly, and the party came to power.
“Later, due to infighting, the Janata Party government toppled itself. So, there must be a strong will to fight unitedly. Presently, the symptoms are not good and it seems the country is heading towards dictatorship, this is the opinion of many,” cautioned Thackeray.
He said the Shiv Sena is willing, but it cannot go alone and all the states of the country must join together for the struggle which will “awaken” the people, and without making too many enemies, must ensure healthy politics.
In this context, Thackeray mentioned the Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress’s Maha Vikas Aghadi, and termed it as “a successful experiment, and supported by the masses”.
“The MVA was not wrong. The people have welcomed it. Many in the state cried when I left ‘Varsha’ (the CM’s official residence, on June 22). I will not allow those tears go in vain,” he said.
The Sena leader rued how the very same people (Eknath Shinde) who were opposed to joining hands with the BJP in 2014 have now allied with that party, and called him “a power-hungry” person.
Thackeray said he had offered Shinde the post of CM, after discussing with the NCP-Congress provided he could get some replies from the BJP, “but he had no guts”.
He again challenged the Shinde-Fadnavis government for elections and predicted that the “state will again get a Shiv Sena CM”.
Maharashtra
Guardian Minister: Now the battle for the post of guardian minister in Mahayuti, BJP-NCP’s internal game to weaken Shinde
Mumbai: The drama of distribution of posts in the three-party ‘Khichdi Sarkar’ of Mahayuti is not ending. First there was a phase of placating the people holding lucrative ministries, then there was the drama of respect and displeasure about who should be included or not in the cabinet and now the tug-of-war has begun over who will be the guardian minister of the districts, i.e. the minister in charge. As long as Eknath Shinde was in the Chief Minister’s chair, he was in power, but as soon as he was promoted from Chief Minister to Deputy Chief Minister, the game of sidelining him on the platform of power has started.
BJP and NCP are trying to fit
their own guardian minister in the districts under Shinde’s influence. Anyway, Shinde’s bargaining power has reduced with the inclusion of Ajit Pawar in the khichdi government. These days the tuning between Shinde and Fadnavis is so good that the Shinde faction is feeling isolated. Shinde’s problem is that even his own MLAs are giving more importance to Fadnavis than him.
BJP stakes claim on the post of guardian minister of Thane district.
However, there are 11 such districts in the state in which there is a cutthroat competition these days among the three parties of the khichdi government for the post of guardian minister. BJP has staked claim on the post of guardian minister of Thane district, where Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has the most influence. BJP MLA Sanjay Kelkar says that in Thane district Shinde’s Shiv Sena has 6 MLAs and BJP has 9 MLAs. BJP wants to make its minister Ganesh Naik the guardian minister of Thane. There is an age-old competition between Eknath Shinde and Ganesh Naik to establish dominance in Thane district. Both of them are basically old Shiv Sainiks of Balasaheb Thackeray.
Uneasiness grows in Shinde’s Shiv Sena
Shiv Sena has always held the post of Guardian Minister of Thane district. This time too Shinde is trying his best to keep it in his possession. But ever since Naik’s name is in discussion, uneasiness has grown in Shinde’s Shiv Sena. If BJP’s Ganesh Naik snatches the post of Guardian Minister from Shiv Sena, then history will be made. The Guardian Minister has the authority to allot development funds. In the coming time, Municipal Corporation elections are going to be held. The post of Guardian Minister is important from that perspective too.
NCP’s Ajit faction wants to capture Raigad
Not only Thane, but also Thane’s neighbouring district Raigad, the NCP’s Ajit faction wants to capture it. The 11 districts where big politics is going on for the post of guardian minister include Thane, Pune, Raigad, Nashik, Beed, Satara, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, are facing a tough situation because one district has two ministers and another has four ministers in the cabinet. In such a situation, there is tough competition for the post of guardian minister, sometimes between two ministers of the same party and sometimes between ministers of alliance parties.
Where and who is the competition between
Thane- Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena), Ganesh Naik (BJP)Raigad- Aditi Tatkare (NCP), Bharat Gogavale (Shiv Sena)Nashik- Girish Mahajan (BJP) Dada Bhuse (Shiv Sena) Narahari Jhirwal (NCP), Manikrao Kokate (NCP)Jalgaon- Gulabrao Patil (Shiv Sena), Sanjay Savkare (BJP)Pune- Ajit Pawar (NCP), Chandrakant Patil (BJP)Beed- Pankaja Munde (BJP), Dhananjay Munde (NCP)Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar- Sanjay Shirsat (Shiv Sena), Atul Save (BJP)Yavatmal- Ashok Uike (BJP) Sanjay Rathod (Shiv Sena), Indranil Naik (NCP)Satara- Shambhuraj Desai (Shiv Sena) Shivendraraje Bhosale (BJP), Jaykumar Gore (BJP), Makarand Patil (NCP)Ratnagiri- Uday Samant (Shiv Sena) Yogesh Kadam (Shiv Sena)Kolhapur- Hasan Mushrif (NCP), Prakash Abitkar (Shiv Sena)
Maharashtra
Maharashtra ‘foul deaths’: Grim Sharad Pawar meets kin of Beed Sarpanch, Parbhani Dalit man
Beed/Parbhani (Maharashtra), Dec 21: As Maharashtra is politically rocked by two ‘most foul deaths’, Nationalist Congress Party (SP) President Sharad Pawar on Saturday visited the families of the victims – a murdered Sarpanch from Beed and a Dalit man of Parbhani found dead in judicial custody.
He was accompanied by NCP (SP) MPs Fauzia Khan (Rajya Sabha), Bajrang M. Sonawane (Beed) and Nilesh D. Lanke (Ahmednagar), besides MLAs Rajesh Tope (Ghansawangi) and Sandeep Kshirsagar (Beed), along with a large number of local units party leaders, workers and villagers.
Pawar, 84, took a helicopter to visit the two districts on Saturday – first going to Beed’s Massajog village whose Sarpanch (Headman) Santosh Pandit Deshmukh, 45, was abducted, brutally tortured and then killed on December 9, by some alleged political rivals when he attempted to foil a huge extortion racket at the AVG windmill company.
Subsequently, Pawar flew down to Parbhani where a Dalit man, Somnath Vyankat Suryawanshi, 35, a law student, was allegedly beaten by the police in the aftermath of the sacrilege of a statue of Dr B. R. Ambedkar (December 10), the subsequent violence and his arrest on December 12, and death in judicial remand on December 15.
In Beed, after lending a patient ear to the Sarpanch’s widow, mother, brother, daughter and other villagers, the NCP (SP) supremo readily agreed to foot the education bills of Deshmukh’s daughter Vaibhavi, and also assured all help for the family’s safe and secure future.
The Deshmukh family members broke down before Pawar and other visitors, accused the Beed Police of not conducting the probe properly, demanded that all the absconding accused must be arrested immediately and many from an adjoining village, and the suspected mastermind, Walmiki Karad still absconding 13 days after the killing.
Vaibhavi Deshmukh said she did not even get a final glimpse of her father who was ruthlessly beaten, and demanded that his killers should be given a similar tough punishment, and demanded justice for the family and the villagers, seeking that the trial be conducted in a fast track court.
Sonawane (MP from Beed), his eyes moist, said that there is an atmosphere of ‘terror’ in the village, when the Sarpanch could meet such a ghastly end, the people are wondering ‘whose turn will be next’.
Many have demanded the resignation of ruling NCP Minister Dhananjay Munde who is reportedly cosy with the fugitive prime wanted Walmiki Karad, a former Mayor of Parli Municipal Council.
Perturbed by the narrations, a distressed Pawar demanded that all the killers and the conspirators must be caught and taught a lesson, the Centre and state governments must take serious note.
“The masses are stunned, and they are people who contribute to the sugar industry in this region. What has happened is not acceptable as the Sarpanch was killed for something he was not connected with,” said Pawar grimly.
He said that there’s no need to bring in caste-community in this case, and pointed out how the NCP (SP) General Secretary Jitendra Awhad and Sandeep Kshirsagar raised the matter in the Legislative Assembly.
“You are not alone in this grief… we are with you, the lawyers are behind you. Please leave your fears behind. I shall convey your sentiments to the government. After Sonawane’s speech in Parliament plus Awhad and Kshirsagar’s statements in the Assembly, people were stunned and are asking what’s going on in different states in the country,” remarked Pawar.
In Parbhani, Pawar questioned the state government why violence was used when the crowds were protesting peacefully and said “this is not acceptable, justice for Suryawanshi’s death is non-negotiable”, while promising to submit the evidence handed over by the family to the CM and other authorities.
Condemning both the deaths, Pawar said that although the CM has announced several measures, compensation and probes, “nothing can bring back the two persons nor erase the grief of both the tragedy-hit families”.
Incidentally, after Pawar’s visits, his nephew and NCP President, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar also rushed to Beed and Parbhani this evening where he encountered angry crowds, and Congress Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha will travel to Parbhani on Monday afternoon.
Maharashtra
Maharashtra: Rahul Gandhi To Visit Parbhani On December 23, Meet Family Of Dalit Youth Who Died In Judicial Custody
Mumbai, Dec 21: Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will visit Parbhani on Monday to meet the family of a Dalit youth who died under mysterious circumstances while in judicial custody last week, officials said here on Saturday.
Rahul Gandhi will reach Nanded by a special flight on Monday afternoon and from there drive to Parbhani to the home of the youth, Somnath Vyankat Suryawanshi and condole his family members.
Suryawanshi, 35, hailing from the Wadar community, was arrested in the violent incidents that ensued after the desecration of a statue of Dr B. R. Ambedkar near Parbhani Railway Station on December 10, by one ‘mentally disturbed’ person named Sopan Pawar.
After the violence, a tense shutdown was observed in Parbhani, while the local police swooped down and detained/arrested around 300 persons, mostly Dalits, including Suryawanshi on December 12.
Barely 72 hours later, he was found dead in judicial custody, sparking a massive furore with the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (SP)-Shiv Sena (UBT), Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), CPI (Marxist), Republican Party of India (A), Republican Sena, Republican Party of India (K), and many other Dalit groups slamming the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party MahaYuti regime for the incident.
Following the uproar inside the Maharashtra Legislature in Nagpur and outside, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced compensation for the bereaved family, ordered a judicial probe and appointed a Special Investigation Team of the police to get to the depth of the matter.
Earlier, the Parbhani Police had claimed that Suryawanshi had complained of chest pains and was rushed to hospital for treatment. However, a provisional autopsy report from the Government Medical College, Aurangabad had stated that he succumbed to “shock following multiple injuries”, snowballing into a huge political row.
The MVA and Dalit leaders had vociferously alleged that he was brutally beaten by the police and had succumbed to grave injuries, as was later confirmed by the provisional post-mortem report of December 16.
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