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Tag: Ajit Pawar

  • IT department attaches properties worth Rs 1,000 crore allegedly belonging to Ajit Pawar

    By ANI

    MUMBAI: Income Tax Department has attached properties allegedly belonging to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar worth Rs 1,000 crore, sources said on Tuesday.

    According to sources, one of these five properties includes Nirmal Tower situated at Nariman Point, Mumbai.

    Earlier in October, the department had also searched offices and residences of the promoters of Dynamix and DB Realty. Raids were also conducted at sugar mills funded by Dynamix and DB Realty and Pawar’s sisters’ houses and companies.

    Following these raids, the minister had called these raids “politically motivated”.

  • Central agencies including Enforcement Directorate, CBI, NCB, being misused to target opposition: Sharad Pawar 

    The NCP, which shares power in Maharashtra with the Shiv Sena and Congress, had earlier said it will face the onslaught of central agencies on its leaders and workers will full vigour.

  • BJP targeting kin of Maharashtra ministers, never seen such ‘blatant misuse of power’: Sharad Pawar

    Express News Service

    MUMBAI: NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday alleged that since the BJP failed to topple the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra, it was targeting close relatives and associates of the ministers in the state government.

    Addressing a press conference, the veteran politician said that in his 56 years of career, he had never seen such “blatant misuse of power” by the central government.  His statement comes days after the Income Tax sleuths searched the properties of relatives of NCP leader and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar.

    “BJP has been trying to unstable Uddhav Thackeray-led government, but has failed in all its attempts. Therefore, as a new strategy, they are targeting the people who are close to or relatives of the ministers. The raid is not at Ajit Pawar but on the properties owned by his sisters and son. A similar thing happened with Congress minister Ashok Chavan and Shiv Sena minister Subhash Desai whose close associates and relatives were targetted by conducting raids,” Pawar said. 

    Pawar also took jibe at former CM Devendra Fadnavis for his statement that he still felt like being the CM. “It is a good thing that I couldn’t  feel so even though I was a four-time CM,” Pawar said.

    ‘Deputy CM’s sisters have no big assets’

    Pawar said the sisters of Ajit Pawar had nothing to do with politics. They were leading middle-class lives and did not own big properties but their houses were raided.

  • My comparison of Lakhimpur violence to Jallianwala Bagh led to I-T raids on Ajit Pawar’s kin: NCP chief

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: NCP president Sharad Pawar on Friday reiterated that the Income Tax Department’s raids on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s relatives and aides came after his comparison of the Lakhimpur Kheri violence in Uttar Pradesh to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre during the British rule.

    Speaking at a meeting of his party in Solapur, Pawar wondered if people had the right to express their views freely in the country.

    “The I-T raids were carried out because I likened the Lakhimpur Kheri violence to Jallianwala Bagh massacre…Don’t we have the right to air our views in democracy?” he asked.

    ​VIEW GALLERY | ‘Fascism’, ‘Jallianwala Bagh’, ‘Hitler’: Lakhimpur Kheri farmers’ killing leads to strong reactions by Opposition leaders

    The I-T department on Thursday raided some businesses linked to family members of Ajit Pawar and some real estate developers on charges of alleged tax evasion.

    The premises linked to business groups such as DB Realty, Shivalik, Jarandeshwar Sahkari Sugar Karkhana (Jarandeshwar SSK) and businesses linked to Ajit Pawar’s sisters were raided during the operation, official sources had said.

    On Tuesday, Pawar had drawn a parallel between the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, in which eight persons were killed, and the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, and said people would show the BJP its place.

    The former Union minister on Friday alleged that the BJP-led central government was leaving no stone unturned to trouble the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government (of Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress) in Maharashtra.

    “The state government is not being given its rightful share in the central funds,” he added.

    ​ALSO READ | I-T sleuths raid Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s sugar factories, sisters’ properties

    “We need to remove the BJP from our path. In the recent bypolls of local bodies, the MVA allies, which contested separately, won 70 per cent of the seats. There is no doubt in my mind that if we fight together we will get better results. We have to now figure out how to contest the future elections,” he said.

    Pawar accused the BJP of being “anti farmer” and indulging in “misuse of power”.

    He said that a complete shutdown should be observed during the October 11 ‘Maharashtra bandh’ and it should be carried out in a peaceful manner.

    “Nothing should be open except the essential services,” he said.

    The Maharashtra Cabinet had on Wednesday expressed regret over the death of farmers in the violence at Lakhimpur Kheri, while the ruling allies here called for a statewide bandh on October 11 to protest against the incident in the Uttar Pradesh district as they sought to corner the BJP over the tragedy.

    The Shiv Sena, the NCP and the Congress, allies in the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), gave the call for Maharashtra bandh to protest against the violence in Lakhimpur Kheri, where eight people, four of them farmers, were killed on Sunday.

  • I-T sleuths raid Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s sugar factories, sisters’ properties

    Express News Service

    MUMBAI: The Income Tax department on Thursday conducted raids at sugar factories linked to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and properties of his family members.

    The raids started on Thursday morning at six sugar factories across Maharashtra. Reacting to the raids, Ajit Pawar said they were politically motivated. Pawar said he could understand I-T raids at his sugar factories, but his sisters’ properties were also being raided. “This is low grade politics. The BJP should not drag family members and relatives in their politics. My sisters got married 30 to 35 years ago. They have been living peacefully. Now central agencies are targeting them because they are my sisters,” Pawar said.

    He also clarified that he has been paying taxes on time. “I am a disciplined person when it comes to finance. I never delayed paying taxes. I am the finance minister of Maharashtra, so I know the IT laws. I have not done anything wrong. The truth will come out soon,” he said.

    NCP state president Jayant Patil also slammed the raids. “The BJP is losing hope in Maharashtra, therefore they are targeting NCP ministers. The BJP wants to divert the attention of the public from the Lakhimpur farmers’ massacre and hence they are carrying out raids at properties owned by Ajit Pawar,” Patil alleged.

    Other ministers of the Maha Vikas Aghadi and their close associates are also under the I-T scanner.

  • Maha govt taking to experts about possibility of Jalyukta scheme causing floods in Marathwada: Ajit Pawar

    The deputy chief minister was asked about reports on experts claiming that the flooding in Marathwada were a fall out of the Jalyukta Shivar programme.

  • Centre must not discriminate between states while giving financial aid for calamities, says Ajit Pawar

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday said the Union government should not discriminate between states while providing financial assistance in the event of natural calamities.

    Pawar’s statement has come after state Minister of Relief and Rehabilitation Vijay Wadettiwar on Wednesday claimed that the Centre had sanctioned only Rs 1,100 crore of the Rs 7,700 crore aid demanded by the state government to deal with damages caused by various natural calamities this year.

    It was the estimated cost of damages that were caused by cyclones, unseasonal and extremely heavy rains, the minister had said.

    Speaking to reporters here, Pawar said, “The Union government should not discriminate between states when it comes to providing financial assistance needed to help people affected by natural calamities. My cabinet colleague Vijay Wadettiwar had said that the dues are worth Rs 8,000 to Rs 9,000 crore.”

    Earlier on Wednesday, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole had accused the Narendra Modi government of indulging in favouritism and not providing necessary help to the state, which faced at least three natural calamities in the last one year.

    When asked about the Centre informing the Supreme Court that state governments would pay Rs 50,000 to the kin of people who died of COVID-19, Pawar said, “Once the Union government deposits the amount in the state disaster response fund (SDRF), we will make the payments as per the directives.”

    Last week, the Centre had informed the Supreme Court that the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has recommended that Rs 50,000 be given to the kin of people who died of COVID-19.

    It had stated that the ex-gratia assistance will be provided by states from the SDRF.

  • No differences in MVA over ward structure for civic polls: Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar

    By PTI

    PUNE: There is no difference of opinion among members of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Maharashtra over the multi-member ward system for civic body elections, deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar claimed on Friday.

    Pawar, guardian minister of Pune district, was talking to the media after a COVID-19 review meeting here.

    The Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government earlier this week announced that in municipal corporations each ward will have a panel of three corporators while wards of municipal councils will have two-member panels.

    But Congress, a member of the MVA, is opposed to this system.

    “As an individual party they (MVA constituents) have their own views about the number of members in a ward. However, we are all together…whatever may be the decision on the ward structure, it will be agreable to all three parties. We will discuss the ward structure issue in the cabinet meeting next week,” Pawar, an NCP leader, told reporters.

    Talking about relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions in Pune, Pawar said last week professional swimmers were allowed to use swimming pools, and from the next week ordinary citizens too will be allowed entry at pools provided they have taken two shots of coronavirus vaccines.

    But people must keep wearing masks and he had given instructions to police to take strict action if norms are violated, the deputy CM said.

    He also opined that the present gap of 84 days between two doses of coronavirus vaccines should be reduced, and said he would speak to the Union government about this.

  • Ganeshotsav immersions on September 19: Pune shops to remain shut, says Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar

    By PTI

    PUNE: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday said all shops dealing in non-essential items will remain closed in Pune for Ganpati immersion on September 19 as the COVID-19 positivity rate was improving in the district and crowds needed to be discouraged during the last day of the festival.

    However, eateries would remain open and detailed instructions on these would be issued by the district and civic authorities, he added.

    “During the review of the COVID-19 situation of Pune district, it was understood the situation in the district is gradually improving. Weekly positivity rate and death rate in Pune has come down. As a precautionary move to discourage crowds on immersion day on Sunday, all shops under the non-essential category will remain closed in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad civic limits and the three cantonment areas,” he said.

    Over 92 lakh people have got COVID-19 vaccine doses in the district, with around 77 per cent of the eligible beneficiaries getting the first dose, and some 41 per cent getting both doses, he informed.

    “Around 0.19 per cent of people got infected after taking the first dose, while 0.26 per cent got the infection after being administered the second dose. The distance between the two peaks of the first and second wave was six-and-half months. If the situation remains under control, we will take some important decisions after a review on October 2,” the NCP leader said.

    Speaking on other issues, he said the district administration had decided to implement a plastic ban in Sinhgad Fort area, while a 10-acre forest plot at the base of the fort would be developed as a parking lot.

    “We have decided to ply electric vehicles with the help of PMPML from the base to the fort on an experimental basis. People can park their vehicles in the designated parking space down and then use the e-vehicle service for a fee,” Pawar said.

    Shops to accommodate makeshifts stalls selling ‘pithala bhakri’ will be set up without affecting the heritage elements of the monument, apart from toilet blocks and charging points, he said.

    Pawar said he was unable to attend the 45th GST Council meet underway in Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, but those representing the state will convey Maharashtra’s demand that petrol and diesel should not be brought under the GST fold.

    “We have conveyed that VAT should continue to be levied on petroleum products and they should not be brought under the GST fold. Under the GST system, the Centre is trying to take over many things from the state,” the deputy CM said.

    The Centre levies, per litre, Rs 32.90 tax on petrol and Rs 31.80 on diesel, and it collected Rs 44,000 crore revenue from Maharashtra this way during the pandemic, and, therefore, the state wanted the Union government to reduce taxes from its end to give relief to people, Pawar asserted.

    Value Added Tax on petrol and diesel was a major contributor to the state’s revenue and this is why Maharashtra wanted petroleum products to be kept outside the purview of GST, he said.

    He said the Centre’s owed Maharashtra Rs 29,500 crore as GST compensation.

  • Noted Lavani artiste Surekha Punekar joins NCP in Maharashtra

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Noted Lavani artiste Surekha Punekar joined the ruling NCP in Maharashtra in the presence senior party leader and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar here on Thursday. Talking to reporters after the induction, Punekar said she wanted to serve the people and resolve the issues faced by women.

    “My entry into the party is unconditional,” she said. BJP leader Pravin Darekar had stoked a controversy on Tuesday by saying that the NCP is a party which would “kiss any painted face”.

    Referring to the remark, Punekar said it was an insult of women. “Every woman does make-up. This is an insult of women and he should apologise,” she said. Apart from Punekar, singer Devyani Bendre also joined the NCP.

    Speaking on the occasion, Pawar said successive governments in the state have always encouraged folk art and artistes. “Just like NCP cadres include people from all castes and religions, the party also has people from all professions,” he said.