Sarpanch’s murder: Huge protest in Beed; even Mahayuti MLAs demand Munde’s ouster

Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange, former MP Sambhaji Raje Chhatrapati, local BJP MLAs Suresh Dhas, Abhimanyu Pawar; NCP MLA Prakash Solanke and NCP (SP) MLAs Jitendra Awhad and Sandeep Kshirsagar participated in the ‘aakrosh morcha’ or protest march that culminated in a rally.

The protesters demanded arrest of Walmik Karad, an associate of Dhananjay Munde, a politician from Beed district.

Santosh Deshmukh was allegedly abducted and tortured to death on December 9. While four persons have been arrested, Opposition leaders claimed in the state legislature during the winter session that Walmik Karad was the mastermind of the murder.

Karad, named as an accused in a related case of extortion but not for the murder, is still at large.

In a related development, social activist Anjali Damania on Saturday claimed that she received a call saying that three absconding accused in the case had been murdered. She shared the information with Beed Police, Damania added. Earlier this week, the activist had alleged that Dhananjay Munde and Karad were joint owners of a tract of land.

At the rally in Beed, Vaibhavi Deshmukh, the daughter of the deceased sarpanch, demanded justice for her father. He lost his life while saving a person from the Dalit community, she said.

Abhimanyu Pawar, who was an aide of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis before he became MLA from Ausa in neighbouring Latur district, said the pain caused by Deshmukh’s murder was felt in different parts of Maharashtra.

“Even if I am part of the (ruling) dispensation, I want to tell the government that if the accused are not arrested, protests will reach other parts of the state. We want justice for the family of Santosh Deshmukh,” he said.

BJP MLA Dhas alleged that Munde, the Food and Civil Supplies Minister, won assembly election from Parli in Beed district with the help of bogus votes.

Notably, the Nationalist Congress Party to which Munde belongs is part of the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti coalition.

Prakash Solanke, an MLA from the NCP, said some of the accused were still at large even 19 days after the murder, and Walmik Karad too had not been arrested.

Dhananjay Munde was the guardian minister of Beed for four of the last five years and until the accused are convicted, Munde should be dropped from the state cabinet so that there is an impartial probe, Solanke said.

The Majalgaon constituency which he represents has collected Rs 40 lakh for the Deshmukh family, he informed.

Quota activist Jarange said the Maratha community will not keep quiet till the deceased (who belonged to the Maratha community) got justice.

“If CM Fadnavis does not want this protest to spread to other parts of the state, the accused should be arrested and action should be taken against those who are supporting them. There is suspicion that the government is shielding the accused,” Jarange said.

Beed MP Bajrang Sonawane, who belongs to the Opposition NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), also demanded Munde’s dismissal from the cabinet.

Sambhaji Raje, who is a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, demanded that Munde should not be made the guardian minister of Beed.

Local Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders demanded resignations of both Dhananjay Munde and his cousin, BJP minister Pankaja Munde.

According to police, Deshmukh was apparently killed after he opposed an extortion bid targeting an energy firm which is installing windmills in Beed district.

Local NCP leader Vishnu Chate had allegedly demanded Rs 2 crore from the company. Deshmukh tried to intervene, leading to his abduction, torture and death. Chate is among the four arrested accused.

Dhananjay Munde, who met chief minister Fadnavis earlier this week, had told reporters that he wanted strict action against all the culprits in the murder case, even if any of them were found to be close to him.

But the allegations against him were part of a conspiracy to finish off his political career, he had claimed. PTI PR KRK