Ajit Pawar – ThePrint –

Mumbai, Oct 13 (PTI) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday said the murder of his party leader Baba Siddique should not be politicized and assured that the state government will not rest until the culprits are brought to book.

Baba Siddique (66), a former state minister, was attacked by three men in Kher Nagar in Mumbai’s Bandra district, just outside the office of his MLA son Zeeshan Siddique, and shot dead on Saturday evening.

The incident prompted the opposition to take aim at the Maharashtra government and raise questions about the law and order situation in the state, which is due to hold assembly elections next month.

Ajit Pawar on Sunday visited Mumbai’s Cooper Hospital where Baba Siddique’s body was taken for post-mortem.

He said the NCP is devastated by the tragic loss of Baba Siddique, a leader deeply loved by many, and personally has lost a dear friend whom he had known for years.

“We are devastated and we are trying to understand the cruelty of this event. This is not only a political loss, it is a deeply personal tragedy that shocked us all,” wrote the KPK leader in a post on the X website after his visit to the hospital.

“I strongly urge everyone to resist the temptation to politicize this horrific event. This is not the time to divide and exploit the pain of others for political gain. “Right now we need to focus on ensuring justice,” he said.

The government will not rest until those responsible for the murder are held accountable, said the deputy minister.

“We respect the immense sadness of Baba Siddique’s family who have suffered the greatest loss. Let us show respect and compassion instead of allowing opportunistic voices to turn this tragedy into a political spectacle,” he said.

Ajit Pawar’s comments come in the backdrop of remarks by his uncle and opposition NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar that those in power need not simply announce an inquiry but must accept responsibility and step down from their positions.

“The breakdown of law and order in Maharashtra is a cause for concern. “I offer my deepest appreciation to Baba Siddiqui and condolences to his family,” Sharad Pawar wrote in a post on X late Saturday evening.

“The shooting of former minister Baba Siddiqui in Mumbai, the country’s financial capital, is deplorable. If the Home Minister and those in power take running the country so lightly, it will be a wake-up call for the common man,” the former Union minister added.

Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said Siddique’s murder shows that there is “total anarchy” in Mumbai. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said that if a protected person meets such a fate, how will common people feel safe? PTI MR GK

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