Mumbai, Dec 20 (NationPress) The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray launched a fierce critique against the MahaYuti government on Saturday, raising concerns about whether Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has transformed into the Pablo Escobar of Maharashtra in light of significant drug seizures occurring in his native district of Satara.

The Thackeray faction, in the editorial of their party's mouthpiece Saamana, expressed alarm over the escalating issues of drug trafficking, land disputes, and gang violence in Pune and Satara -- two adjacent districts linked to Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde, respectively.

The editorial highlighted recent substantial drug busts, with police confiscating cocaine valued at Rs 150 crore from a shed located in Savri village, Satara. Shortly thereafter, another cocaine seizure worth Rs 75 crore occurred in Panchgani.

These occurrences hint that Satara is evolving into a “cocaine capital,” according to the editorial.

Furthermore, it suggested a direct connection between the illicit substances and Eknath Shinde's family, noting that the shed in Savri village, which housed the Rs 150 crore cocaine cache, reportedly belongs to Prakash Shinde, who is the brother of Deputy CM Eknath Shinde.

“The 'Tejayash' resort, also owned by Prakash Shinde, is situated next to this shed. Deputy CM Eknath Shinde’s helicopter reportedly lands in the nearby Dare village 5-10 times a month under the pretense of farming,” the editorial added.

However, it sarcastically questioned the nature of this “farming,” asking why standard farmers are compelled to commit suicide while the Shinde family’s “farming” seems to yield vast riches, alleging a “cocaine factory” exists in their vicinity.

The administration has been accused of protecting high-profile suspects.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena asserted that the Deputy Chief Minister's office made numerous calls to Satara Superintendent of Police (SP) Tushar Doshi to ensure Prakash Shinde’s name was excluded from the FIR. While the Mumbai Crime Branch carried out the raid, the Satara police allegedly attempted to obstruct the operation, the editorial claimed. It accused Doshi of being “rewarded” with the Satara post for his involvement in the lathi-charge against Maratha protesters in Antarwali.

The editorial drew parallels to the Mundhwa land scam, asserting that just as Ajit Pawar’s son Parth was shielded from legal repercussions, Prakash Shinde is currently being safeguarded by the Home Ministry.

The Thackeray faction sharply criticized Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's silence on the matter. It pointed out that Vishal More, a member of Ajit Pawar’s party in Pune, has been arrested in relation to the drug operation. It further alleged that suspicious workers from West Bengal, potentially Bangladeshi infiltrators, were brought to staff the Satara drug factory.

Echoing a remark by Congress President Harshwardhan Sapkal, the editorial queried, “Is Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde the state’s Pablo Escobar?” referring to the notorious drug lord who employed narco-terrorism to bolster political power in Colombia. The Thackeray faction warned that the state is descending into an “Udta Punjab” scenario due to the unchecked proliferation of narcotics.