Eknath Shinde orders cops to probe threat to Sharad Pawar after Supriya’s attack

MUMBAI: Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde on Friday ordered police officers to investigate threats received by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on social media after the veteran politician and his family made it clear that it was the state government’s responsibility to ensure he was safe.

“I am not concerned about threats to me. Those who are in charge of handling law and order in the state cannot shirk their responsibility,” Sharad Pawar said, responding to mounting concern within the family and the NCP over his safety after a threat on social media that he will meet the same fate as Dabholkar. Narendra Dabholkar, a rationalist, was shot dead on the morning of August 20, 2013, on the Omkareshwar bridge in Pune.

Pawar’s daughter and NCP MP Supriya Sule lodged a complaint with Mumbai police commissioner Vivek Phansalkar about the threat and demanded a thorough probe. “I hope the home department will take immediate action… If anything happens to him (Pawar), state and central home ministers will be responsible,” she said after meeting the police commissioner.

Sule also alleged that an atmosphere of hatred was being spread. “There can be differences but so much hatred is being spread. What kind of culture is being encouraged in Maharashtra,” she remarked.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut’s brother Sunil said they also received three-four threat calls on Thursday between 4pm and 4.15pm. “He threatened to kill me and MP Sanjay Raut. He said that in a month we will shoot you and send you to the graveyard. Stop the morning press conferences, otherwise, we will kill both of you,” said Sunil Raut.

“We have informed Mumbai Police Commissioner and state Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis about the threat calls,” he added.

In a post on Twitter on Friday, chief minister Shinde only referred to the threats received by Sharad Pawar and promised action. “I personally spoke with senior police officers and instructed them to investigate the matter… Pawar is a senior leader and all of us respect him. If necessary, his security will be enhanced,” the chief minister said.

Shinde also alleged that some people have been deliberately trying to vitiate the atmosphere in Maharashtra. “Some people are disturbed since the Supreme Court delivered its verdict (on the split in Shiv Sena). Since then, attempts are being made to create disturbances in the state. Efforts are being made to create communal trouble by glorifying Aurangzeb and Tipu Sultan. We won’t let it succeed and would ensure law and order is maintained in the state,” Shinde said.

Sanjay Raut said deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who heads the home department, was not taking the threats seriously. “In the past too, I had complained to Fadnavis but instead of action, that criminal (who was allegedly involved in threat) got police protection,” Raut said, insisting that the threats that he and Pawar had received were government-sponsored.