Buldhana, March 24 (NationPress) The leader of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee, Harshwardhan Sapkal, expressed deep concern on Tuesday regarding the unsettling discourse surrounding the fraudulent self-proclaimed godman Ashok Kharat. He called for enhanced backing for the Special Investigation Team (SIT), the establishment of a dedicated task force, and stringent actions against the wrongdoers to expedite the resolution of this case.

“During Diwali, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was informed about the fraudulent activities of Ashok Kharat. His misdeeds had come to light back in October-November, leading the Home Department to gather evidence. Was the Chief Minister inactive for six months?” he questioned.

Sapkal further remarked that the Ashok Kharat incident has arisen from societal superstition, emphasizing the need for society to adopt a more scientific mindset to learn from this situation.

“It's well-known who is perpetuating superstition, inciting conflicts among religions and castes, and spreading animosity. Such societal distortions give rise to individuals like Kharat, and this must be recognized,” he stated.

“Since 2014, Devendra Fadnavis has held the position of Home Minister, and during his term, such issues have proliferated in Maharashtra. Currently, the Chief Minister appears to be intentionally prolonging the case, allegedly to exert pressure on his coalition partners, which is highly objectionable.

“In light of Rupali Chakankar's resignation as the chairperson of the State Women’s Commission regarding this issue, it’s imperative that action is taken against all those involved by pursuing legal cases against them. Those associated with Kharat should at least feel a sense of moral responsibility,” he added.

He further noted that these societal issues arise when social awareness is neglected, pointing out that some individuals have fallen prey to superstition in the Kharat case. Maharashtra was the pioneering state in India to implement a law against superstition.

“Dr. Narendra Dabholkar dedicated his life to combating superstition, and his legacy must be upheld by committing to eliminate such practices to prevent the emergence of distortions like Kharat in the future,” he asserted.

Discussing the election of the Satara Zilla Parishad president, Sapkal mentioned the internal conflicts within the ruling alliance, highlighting that ministers Shambhuraj Desai and Makarand Patil have claimed to be assaulted by police.

The fact that even ministers are facing violence in Maharashtra signifies a severe decline in democratic integrity. The events in Satara also reinforce accusations of electoral fraud,” he concluded.