Mumbai, Nov 3 Maharashtra's opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday demanded the resignation of a Shiv Sena minister accusing him of allegedly abetting the suicide of a youth in Ahmednagar on October 30.
BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhye told media persons that youth Prateek Kale, who hanged himself recently on a tree, had reportedly named Soil and Water Conservation Minister Shankarrao Gadakh among those responsible for his extreme step.
"The youth, who was an employee of the Minister's institution and also as an aide, had taken Gadakh's name before ending his life. In a video before his death, he had named 10 persons but the police are trying to suppress the case," he alleged.
Rubbishing the allegations, Gadakh told media persons in his home constituency Nevasa that he had nothing to do with the youth's death and had no connections with him or his family.
"The allegations are politically motivated. I am ready for any inquiry by any department or panel as I am completely innocent," declared Gadakh, a four-time legislator.
Upadhye said that though Kale had named 10 persons in his viral video, but only 7 were mentioned in the police complaint and the remaining three accused are not being revealed.
"People of the state are now committing suicide in the name of ministers. There is total disenchantment with the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Ahmednagar district after this tragedy. It is being alleged that the police are trying to suppress the matter," the BJP spokesperson added.
Demanding justice for the deceased youth, Upadhye said Gadakh must immediately quit the ministry or the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray should sack him since as long as he remains in the cabinet, there cannot be an impartial probe into the episode.
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