Ganpat Gaikwad: The BJP MP accuses Shinde of ‘creating a kingdom of goons’ after firing on chief minister

Maharashtra BJP MP Ganpat Gaikwad was shot and injured over a land dispute inside the Ulhasnagar police station in Maharashtra on Friday night Mahesh Gaikwad, leader of the Shiv Sena (Shinde) faction, said he acted in self-defence and that he “does not regret” they beat up his son inside the police station.

“Yes, I shot (him) myself. I have no regrets. What would I do if my son was beaten in front of the police inside the police station,” he said.

The shooting took place at the senior police officer’s cabin at Hill Line police station, where the two politicians and their supporters had gathered to lodge complaints over a long-running land dispute.

While the two politicians were having a conversation in the hall of Senior Inspector Anil Jagtap of Hill Line police station, clashes broke out between their supporters.

Following the riots, an argument broke out between the two and BJP MP Ganpat Gaikwad fired four bullets at Mahesh Gaikwad. Shiv Sena MLA Rahul Patil was also injured in the incident.

Arrested BJP MP Ganpat Gaikwad was taken out of the police station for medical examination on Saturday. He will appear in court later in the day. Apart from Ganpat Gaikwad, the police also arrested two others. They have been booked under sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

Who is Ganpat Gaikwad?

According to the Hindustan Times, Ganpat Gaikwad is a MLA of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and represents the Kalyan (East) constituency in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

He has won the constituency three times in a row – first as an independent candidate in 2009 and 2014, and later on a BJP ticket in 2019. His 2019 Assembly election affidavit shows that Ganpat Gaikwad faces 18 pending criminal cases.

Opposition calls for Shinde’s resignation

The opposition in Maharashtra on Saturday demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde after BJP MPs challenged the Shiv Sena leader over a land dispute in Thane district People shoot. The Bharatiya Janata Party and Shinde-led Sena are the ruling partners in the state. The Congress claimed that the incident showed the breakdown of law and order in the state, while the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena Party (UBT) said Shinde was responsible. NCP chief Sharad Pawar expressed concern and said there were limits to “abuse” of power.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told the media that he had ordered a high-level inquiry into the dismissals, while his colleague Ajit Pawar said elected representatives would take legal action Taking it into your own hands is a mistake.

Ganpat Gaikwad, who spoke to news channel ‘Zee24taas’ over phone before his arrest, alleged that CM Shinde was trying to create a “criminal kingdom” in Maharashtra. Former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan termed the shooting as extremely serious and worrying.

Chavan posted on his X account that the incident at Hill Line police station in Ulhasnagar is not only a challenge to law and order but also puts a question mark on the credibility and responsibility of the state government in dispensing justice.

Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar, blamed the dismissal on arrogance and vendetta politics of power and accused Shinde of encouraging mob culture in the state. He said law and order had broken down.

Wadetiwar said Shinde had betrayed Uddhav Thackeray and would do the same to the BJP. Ganpat Gaikwad said Shinde’s son was indulged in corruption and nothing was done despite complaints to Devendra Fadnavis and senior BJP leaders That it didn’t happen is shocking. It shows the true face of Maha Yuti’ (ruling alliance). He claimed that as the election approaches, their internal conflicts will intensify. State Congress president Nana Patole said the allegations leveled against the CM by the BJP Justice Ministry were serious and he should resign immediately.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut held the chief minister responsible for the shooting, claiming that the government in Maharashtra was formed through mob politics and gondagiri. The incident took place in the CM’s district and he was responsible for it. Raut told reporters that Gaikwad blamed Eknath Shinde.

(with PTI input)