Ajit Pawar: Dhananjay Munde's Resignation on Ethical Principles
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Synopsis
NCP president Ajit Pawar announced that Dhananjay Munde resigned as Maharashtra Minister on moral grounds amid investigations into the murder of Santosh Deshmukh. Pankaja Munde criticized the delayed resignation, while the Congress party demanded the resignations of the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister for their handling of the situation.
Key Takeaways
- Dhananjay Munde resigned due to moral reasons.
- Investigations into Santosh Deshmukh's murder are ongoing.
- Pankaja Munde believes the resignation should have come sooner.
- Congress demands resignations from Fadnavis and Pawar.
- The incident has sparked significant public outrage.
Mumbai, March 4 (NationPress) NCP president and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar stated on Tuesday that NCP legislator Dhananjay Munde stepped down as Maharashtra Minister due to ethical considerations.
Amid calls for Munde’s resignation, Deputy CM Pawar took a decisive stance, asserting that the party would make a decision after the ongoing inquiries by the CID, special investigation team, and judicial committee concerning the murder of Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh.
Despite standing by Munde during challenging times, Deputy CM Pawar requested Munde to resign after the CID identified his close associate Walmik Karad as the alleged mastermind behind the brutal murder of Santosh Deshmukh.
In contrast, Munde's cousin and BJP minister Pankaja Munde from Beed district expressed that Dhananjay Munde should have stepped down much earlier.
"The acceptance of Dhananjay Munde's resignation is welcome. This decision should have been made sooner. He should not have taken office. Had he done so, perhaps we wouldn't have faced such issues," she remarked.
Pankaja Munde added, "If Dhananjay Munde had resigned earlier, dignity could have been preserved. This resignation pales in comparison to the pain suffered by the family of the deceased sarpanch, Santosh Deshmukh."
She further mentioned, "Some videos related to the killing of Santosh Deshmukh circulated on social media. I encountered one of the posts but did not dare to view it. The brutality displayed by those involved in the murder is inhumane. After Deshmukh's murder, I wrote to the Chief Minister, and on December 12, I delivered a comprehensive speech on this matter, which you can find online. Only the investigation authorities are aware of who is implicated, and I have no intention of interfering in their work," she stated.
"There is significant anger regarding the manner in which the sarpanch was murdered," she added.
She emphasized that there is no need to revive the issue of caste conflict.
Meanwhile, the Congress party criticized the Mahayuti government, alleging that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Pawar have lost their moral authority to remain in office and should resign.
"The entire Maharashtra has been grieving since the images of the brutal murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh went viral. Despite the police and government having these images and videos, they were protecting Dhananjay Munde. This has tarnished the dignity of Maharashtra. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar have forfeited their moral right to stay in office. They must resign immediately," remarked state Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal.
Sapkal asserted that the government cannot take credit simply because Dhananjay Munde has resigned.
"The critical question is why Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister did not dismiss Dhananjay Munde. All evidence of these inhumane acts was with the police from the start, meaning the Home Minister and government had prior knowledge. The government was attempting to shield Dhananjay Munde for two months despite knowing the heinous acts committed by this group. This indicates that this gang had the government’s support, and it was evident that the Santosh Deshmukh murder case was being suppressed," he alleged.
