The Maha Vikas Aghadi Government here went into a tizzy on Friday over a perceived “death threat” to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar on social media a couple of days ago.
Referring to the NCP supremo as ‘Gandhi’ of Baramati, the threat issued in Marathi on May 11 reads: “The time has come for the ‘Gandhi’ of Baramati and for Baramati to prepare a Nathuram Godse.”
The death threat to the NCP leader came a month after his residence, Silver Oak, was attacked by striking Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) workers.
Posted by one @NikhilBhamre8, the tweet also exhorts Pawar: “Baramati Uncle, apologise”, though the context in which the threats were issued is unclear, but it was ‘liked’ and tweeted’ by many in the past couple of days.
Taking a serious exception to the threat, Jitendra Awhad, NCP’s Housing Minister in Chief Minister Uddhav Thackery Ministry, while regretting the depths to which the situation has plummeted, asked the police to take strong action against the culprit behind the threat who he referred to as a deranged person.
He also drew the attention of the Maharashtra Director-General of Police (DIG), and Commissioners of Police of Mumbai, Thane and Pune.
Expressing concerns over the development, Shiv Sena Spokesperson Manisha Kayande said there’s no need to guess which team is behind the threats to kill Pawar as “everyone knows who worships Godse”, and urged the Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil to take serious note.
“This is a clear threat to murder and shows their ideological levels… Those issuing it must be dealt with most severely. In the past, Dr. Narendra Dabholkar, Prof. M M Kalburgi and Govind Pansare were assassinated by these very like-minded elements,” said Dr. Kayande.
Congress state General Secretary Sachin Sawant said it’s time people reflected “where the efforts of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Sangh Parivar to make the society violent and pervert, have pushed the country”.
“Hatred and contempt are making the young people of today the future killers and I urge the government to act stringently against these perverts,” Sawant exhorted.

Sena MoS Kishore Tiwari said that exactly a month ago, a violent attack was carried out on the home of Pawar (April 8) by the hostile forces and sections of the police who are still loyal to the BJP.

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“Against the recent background, this fresh threat should not be taken lightly, and the MVA government must step in to increase security for Pawar and his family,” Tiwari said.

Several other political leaders from the ruling Sena-NCP-Congress have also reacted besides condemnation on the social media networks over the threats to the 81-year old Pawar.

With inputs from IANS