Govt has taken serious note of threat to Sharad Pawar, instructions for probe given

MUMBAI: Maharashtra government on Friday ordered a police investigation into the alleged death threats given to NCP chief Sharad Pawar through a social media post. The , NCP claimed that a message posted on a social media platform reportedly threatened that Mr. Pawar will meet a similar fate as the anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar, who was shot dead in Pune on August 20, 2013.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut has also claimed that he and his MLA brother Sunil Raut have been receiving threats.

Supriya Sule, Mr Pawar’s daughter and Lok Sabha member, met Mumbai police commissioner Vivek Phansalkar to demand action on the alleged death threat. She claimed that she received the screenshot of the threatening social media post on her WhatsApp number.

“I received a message regarding Mr Pawar on my WhatsApp number. A similar post has been made on a website. I approached the police today seeking justice. This is a disgusting, low-level politics and I request the Union home minister as well as the Maharashtra home minister that this should be stopped,” Ms Sule said after meeting the police commissioner.

An official said that the police have taken cognisance of Ms Sule’s complaint and the investigation has started.

Ms. Sule said that the police commissioner has assured her that action will be taken in the matter. “The responsibility of Mr. Pawar’s security lies with the home ministry. The home minister should intervene. Mr. Pawar is the leader of the country,” she said.

The objectionable post was made on the Facebook account of one Saurabh Pimpalkar, whose social media status claimed that he was a ‘former secular’, now ‘kattar Hindutvavadi’ and a BJP supporter. Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar said, “Saurabh Pimpalkar’s bio says he is a BJP worker. I do not know if it is true. But the police must find out who is the mastermind behind such posts.”

Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde said that the government has taken cognisance of Ms. Sule’s complaint and the police will find the people who are trying to disturb law and order in the state. “Police authorities have also been told to review Mr. Pawar’s security and beef it up if necessary,” he said.

Mr. Shinde also claimed that deliberate attempts are being made to disturb the peace ever since the Supreme Court validated his swearing-in as the chief minister. “After the SC verdict,  some people are upset and they are trying to spoil the atmosphere by glorifying Aurangazeb and Tipu Sultan. These attempts will be thwarted. We will foil the conspiracy to create disturbances for selfish political interests,” the Maharashtra CM said.

Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis also condemned the alleged threat against Pawar and said, “Threatening any leader or overstepping the bounds of civility while expressing themselves on social media will not be tolerated,” he said.

However, Mr. Pawar said he was not at all worried by the threats and nobody can stop him from expressing his views by giving threats. “Every citizen has the right to express views on any party as per the Constitution. If anyone thinks that he can shut voices by giving threats, then it is a misunderstanding. I have full faith in the system and the capabilities of the police. So I am not worried about it,” the 82-year-old veteran politician said.

Mr. Raut said that he has also received many threats over the phone in the last seven-eight months and he has informed Mr Fadnavis about it. He further said that his MLA brother also received threats. “These are the government sponsored threats,” he said.