Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 9 : Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday directed the state police to beef up security for Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar after his daughter and party MP Supriya Sule alleged that her father had received death threats from unknown miscreants.
"Sharad Pawar is a senior leader and we all respect him. His safety will be fully taken care of. Instructions have been given to the police to increase security, if necessary," CM Shinde said.
"The government has taken serious note of the threat received by senior leader Sharad Pawar on Twitter and I have personally spoken to senior police officers and have given instructions for investigation," he added.
Earlier, on Friday, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that although there are ideological differences with the NCP, issuing threats to a prominent Opposition leader won't be tolerated.
"Maharashtra politics has a tall tradition. Although there are differences at the political and ideological level (between the BJP and the NCP), there are no differences of opinion in this matter. Threatening any (Opposition) leader or overstepping the bounds of civility while expressing oneself on social media will not be tolerated. In such cases, the police will act as per the law," Fadnavis said.
On Friday, NCP MP Supriya Sule said she received a threat message, directed at her father on WhatsApp. Labelling the threat as 'low-level politics', she added that this should stop.
"I received a message on WhatsApp for Pawar Sahab. He was threatened through a website. So, I have come to the Police demanding justice. I urge Maharashtra Home Minister and Union Home Minister to act. Such actions represent low-level politics and should stop," Sule told media persons.
She added that if justice isn't done in such cases, the Centre and State Home departments will be held responsible. "The police have been informed. The Home Department also needs to intervene in this matter. Politics should be set aside in such cases," she added.
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