Beed, Feb 5 (IANS) Amid raging controversy over the brutal killing of Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh in the Beed district, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said that incidents similar to this will not be tolerated in Maharashtra.
He announced that stern action would be taken against those involved in the murder of Santosh Deshmukh, adding that bullying will not be tolerated in the state.
“Incidents like the murder of Santosh Deshmukh will not be tolerated under any circumstances. I assure you that action will be taken against everyone, no matter who they are. My request to the people of Beed is that we are the descendants of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj who united 18 various castes and established Swarajya. We also want to unite everyone in the same way and we will create a new Beed,” said the Chief Minister while speaking at a function held in Ashti from Beed district to launch various development projects.
The Environment Minister Pankaja Munde and Ashti legislator Suresh Dhas were also present on the occasion however Food and Civil Supply Minister Dhananjay Munde was absent due to some medical emergency.
The Chief Minister, who has reiterated that the government will not spare anyone associated with Santosh Deshmukh’s murder, said that history shows that the Beed district has given great people.
“That history will go forward and I will stand firmly behind the efforts to create a glorious history of Beed, that’s all I can say on this occasion,” he said.
The Chief Minister’s statement is important especially when the Santosh Deshmukh murder case is being probed by the state CID, special investigation team and the judicial committee.
Besides, the chorus is increasing for the resignation of NCP minister Dhananjay Munde as his close associate Walmik Karad has been arrested and booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act in connection with the extortion case linked to the murder of Santosh Deshmukh.
NCP President and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has rejected the demand made by ruling and opposition members for Munde’s resignation citing that the probe is currently underway.
Munde also said that he would not resign pressing for capital punishment for those involved in Santosh Deshmukh’s murder.
Santosh Deshmukh’s family members recently met the Chief Minister demanding justice for them. They cited that one of the main culprits associated with the Santosh Deshmukh murder is still absconding.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister expressed confidence that the next generation in Marathwada will not see drought as 23 TMC of water will come to the Godavari basin due to the river linking project.
“Marathwada should get water from the Krishna river since Marathwada’s part falls in the Bhima sub-basin. Former Union Minister Gopinath Munde and several leaders of Marathwada made special efforts and decided that Marathwada should get 23 TMC of water from the Krishna basin,” he said.
The Chief Minister added that however, this decision was not implemented later.
“After our government came to power, the follow-up started. When I became the Chief Minister, we tried to give Marathwada’s share of water to Marathwada. At that time, I realised that 23 TMC of water was only on paper. In reality, only 7 TMC of water is there,” the Chief Minister said.
–IAN
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