Pawar respects police, opposes illegal acts; Thackeray camp demands ministers face cases equally, urging Modi and Shah’s attention
Mumbai
The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) on Monday launched a sharp attack on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar, accusing him of threatening IPS officer Anjana Krishna and shielding illegal activities in Solapur.
In its editorial in Saamana, the party demanded that a case be registered against Pawar, alleging his conduct has damaged Maharashtra’s administrative reputation. The controversy arose from a viral video in which Pawar was heard rebuking Krishna, a sub-divisional police officer, for stopping illegal excavation of murrum in Kurdu village. Pawar allegedly told her, “I will act against you… how dare you?”
Although Pawar later clarified that he respects police officers and opposes illegal work, the Thackeray camp rejected his explanation. “If the law applies equally, ministers should also face cases,” the editorial said, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to take note.
The editorial further claimed that Pawar threatened the officer using the phone of an accused in the illegal mining case, demanding protection for party workers. It alleged that Pawar, accused earlier in the Rs 70,000 crore irrigation scam, is now giving “legal protection” to corruption.
The Thackeray camp sarcastically suggested issuing a resolution declaring all “illegal works” as “public works” so officers cannot act against them. It also mocked Pawar’s earlier warning that his party’s wrongdoers would be “hung upside down,” asking whether he would apply the same rule to himself.
The piece concluded by claiming that if such an incident had occurred in opposition-ruled states, BJP leaders would have declared a collapse of law and order.
