Maharashtra state chief minister Eknath Shinde called jailed Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former minister Nawab Malik anti-national and refused to withdraw his remark made earlier against the Opposition.
He also said that if calling an anti-national person an anti-national is a crime, then he would do it 50 times. Malik has been in jail since his arrest last year in a money-laundering case linked to the activities of Dawood Ibrahim and his aides.
Shinde was speaking in the state Legislative Council a day after Leader of Opposition Ambadas Danve submitted a breach of privilege notice against him for allegedly referring to Opposition legislators as anti-national.
On Sunday, on the eve of the Budget session of the state legislature, the opposition had boycotted the customary tea party hosted by the chief minister. Later, referring to the opposition’s boycott, Shinde said it saved him from having tea with anti-nationals.
Speaking on the issue, Shinde said in the Upper House, The information received indicates that NCP leader and former cabinet minister Nawab Malik had illegally purchased land which was allegedly linked to Dawood Ibrahim, the main accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts. Dawood not only killed people here but also supported terrorism against our country. How can anyone support people who are associated with him? Malik is indeed an anti-national and I will not withdraw my comments, he said.