New Delhi, March 4 As Maharashtra Minister Dhananjay Munde stepped down from his position in the state Cabinet, BJP leaders expressed support for his resignation, signalling that the administration is taking steps to hold any wrongdoers accountable. Meanwhile, the Opposition has ramped up its criticism, demanding Munde be treated as a criminal.
Speaking with IANS, BJP leader Sanjay Upadhyay said, "Let the Opposition say whatever they want. We're operating by the rules of governance, and anyone found guilty will face punishment."
BJP leader Pankaja Munde also welcomed the resignation, saying, "I think this should have happened sooner. I don’t have all the details, but I saw an Instagram video that went viral showing the brutal murder of Santosh Deshmukh. Whoever committed that crime and made a video of it demonstrated just how inhumane some people can be."
On the other hand, NCP(SP) leader Rohit Pawar strongly condemned the situation, stating, "A meeting related to extortion took place at Dhananjay Munde's house, and he was present there. The connection to the extortion case is clear. We demand that he be treated as a criminal, as the meeting occurred in his home. An enquiry should be launched immediately. The disturbing photos circulating on social media anger us, but it’s shocking that the ruling party didn’t react earlier. These ministers are completely indifferent to such issues."
Munde’s resignation came on March 4, just days after his close aide, Walmik Karad, was identified as the mastermind behind the murder of Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed. Karad is also linked to a Rs 2 crore extortion case tied to Deshmukh’s death.
The mounting pressure following a charge sheet filed by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) led to Munde’s resignation.
Reports suggest that Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar met with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday night to discuss the CID’s findings, which have only intensified the scrutiny on Munde.
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor