News Analysis India

Tag: NCP

  • Farmers to hold protest rally over agri laws in Mumbai; Pawar, Aaditya Thackeray to attend

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: A large numbers of farmers left for Mumbai from Maharashtra’s Nashik district on Saturday for a rally to demand repealing of the Centre’s three new farm laws.

    The rally organised by Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha will be held in Mumbai on January 25, a statement issued by the organisation said.

    The rally will be addressed by former Union agriculture minister and NCP chief Sharad Pawar, state Congress president Balasaheb Thorat and Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray.

    A delegation will also present a memorandum to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, the release said.

    Enacted in September last year, the three laws have been projected by the Centre as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove middlemen and allow farmers to sell their produce anywhere in the country.

    Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at several border points of Delhi since November 28 last year, demanding a repeal of these laws.

    Multiple rounds of talks between the government and farmer unions have failed to break the impasse so far, while the Supreme Court has appointed a panel for resolution.

  • Sharad Pawar says stand vindicated as rape complaint against Dhananjay Munde withdrawn

    By Express News Service
    MUMBAI: The Mumbai-based woman who had accused Maharashtra cabinet minister Dhananjay Munde of rape has withdrawn her police complaint, an official said on Friday. The woman told the investigating officer that she is taking back the complaint against Munde, but did not cite any reason, the police official said. The police asked the complainant to submit a notorised affidavit, he said.

    The woman had approached the police with the complaint against the Social Justice Minister (45) on January 11, accusing him  of rape and sexual assault on pretext of marriage in 2006. The police had started an inquiry and the woman had visited the Oshiwara police station to record her statement.

    Munde, a senior NCP leader from Beed district, has denied the rape charges and dubbed them has an attempt to blackmail him. The minister, however, has admitted that he was in a relationship with the complainant woman’s sister.

    As the complaint came to light, the opposition BJP demanded Munde’s resignation from the cabinet.     

    However, the NCP ruled out any action against Munde till the charges were proved. Reacting to the development, NCP president Sharad Pawar said it seems the party’s decision to wait for the truth to come out after rape allegations were levelled against Munde was right.

    Addressing reporters here, Pawar also alleged efforts are on from Delhi to Mumbai to bring down the Aghadi. “I got to read the news about (the woman) withdrawing the complaint. I dont know the details.

    But after discussion with Munde and officials, we felt prima facie that the truth needs to be verified first,” he said. The NCP chief, who had initially termed the rape charges as serious, said the party pitched for a detailed probe into the allegations after it saw some documents in connection with the episode. And the turn of events has vindicated our stand, the senior leader said.

  • Fire at Serum Institute of India an accident: NCP president Sharad Pawar

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: The fire at the premises of Serum Institute of India (SII) was an “accident and there is absolutely no doubt about the integrity of scientists working with the Pune-based vaccine major, NCP president Sharad Pawar said on Friday.

    Pawar made the remarks in Kolhapur while replying to a question from reporters about allegations of sabotage behind the fire on Thursday.

    Five labourers died in the fire which broke out in a five-storeyed under-construction building in the Serum Institute of India’s Manjari premises in Pune.

    ALSO READ: Serum Institute fire: 200 labourers jump from windows to live; Rs 25 lakh announced for kin of dead

    The Manjari facility is where Covishield, the SII vaccine against COVID-19 which is being used in the nationwide inoculation drive, is manufactured.

    The building where the fire broke out is one km from the Covishield vaccine manufacturing unit.

    A probe is on to find out the cause of the blaze.

    Asked about allegations of sabotage in the incident, Pawar said, “It is not right for us to speak today. But we have absolutely no doubt about the integrity of experts, scientists working at Serum. This is an accident.”

    To a question about a section of people showing hesitancy in taking doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, the NCP president said the SII is a world-renowned institute and noted that experts have advocated the use of its products….the prime minister has advocated it (taking COVID-19 vaccine). The experts are for the products of Serum Institute. Once they (experts) are of that view, what me and you have to comment on this? Pawar said.

  • NCP to form front with like-minded parties for Goa polls: Sharad Pawar

    By PTI
    PANAJI: NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said his party intends to fight the 2022 Goa Legislative Assembly elections in alliance with the Congress and other like-minded parties.

    Speaking to reporters in Panaji, Pawar said the NCP wants to fight the Goa Legislative Assembly elections “as a front” along with other parties to provide an alternative to the BJP.

    “In Goa, we want to contest the election in alliance with the Congress and other like-minded parties, but we are yet to start dialogues with other political outfits,” the NCP chief said.

    Pawar met the local NCP leadership including the party’s state unit president Jose Philip D’Souza and Churchill Alemao, the party’s lone MLA in the Assembly.

    Senior party leader Prafulla Patel has been authorized to hold dialogues with other parties to form a front for the state Assembly elections, the NCP chief said.

    “The discussion about the alliance and seat-sharing amongst partners will happen at the national level,” he said, adding that discussions will begin six months before the election date.

  • Sharad Pawar postpones visit to Kerala; state NCP meeting deferred

    By ANI
    KOCHI: The State Executive Committee meeting of the National Congress Party (NCP) has been postponed as party supremo Sharad Pawar, postponing his visit to Kerala.

    The meeting of NCP scheduled to be held at Kochi on January 23 has been postponed, State General Secretary M Alikoya said on Wednesday.

    Pawar’s visit to the state was expected to throw light on whether the party will remain with the Left Democratic Front or join the UDF, putting to an end weeks-long speculation after the NCP left the Left Front in Kerala on January 23.

    NCP state president TP Peethambaran earlier said that “After the meeting, Sharad Pawar will announce the political decision taken by the party.”

    An internal rift in the NCP emerged after the CPI-M indicated that the Pala assembly seat, now represented by MLA Mani C Kappan, will be allocated to the Kerala Congress (M) under Jose K Mani.

    Although the expected arrival of Pawar in Kochi was considered as the central leadership’s bid to avoid an imminent split in the state unit, a section of leaders feel that a final decision on continuing in the LDF will be taken as Pawar will announce the party’s political stand after his arrival.

  • NCP demands JPC on purported chats between Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami, BARC head Partho Dasgupta

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: The Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Monday asked the government to set up a Joint Parliamentary Committee to probe the purported chats between Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami and former Broadcast Audience Research Council head Partho Dasgupta.

    Referring to the purported chats widely reported in media which mentioned that Goswami was privy to the Balakot airstrikes, NCP chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said, “It is extremely shocking and disturbing to know how issues related to national security have been used to gain TRPs.”

    Tapase said he will meet Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Tuesday on the issue and seek clarification from Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the ‘chatgate’.

    “The question also arises how Arnab was privy to such sensitive information. The Ministry of Home Affairs has to identify the source and immediately take action,” he said.

    ALSO READ: Probe Balakot air strike info leak – Opposition

    Goswami has been at the forefront in maligning the image of the Mumbai police and also the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state, Tapase claimed.

    “In his TV debates, he tried to give a communal angle to the Palghar incident. The Sushant Singh Rajput death case was blown out of proportion and a false narrative was set. All this was done with the sole intention to destabilise the MVA government,” Tapase said.

    The BJP should clarify its position on Arnab Goswami, he said.

    Dasgupta, who was arrested in the fake Television Rating Point (TRP) case, is now in the ICU of state-run JJ hospital in central Mumbai.

    A diabetic, he was rushed to the hospital from the Taloja Central Prison in Navi Mumbai on Saturday after his blood sugar levels went up on Friday midnight.

    The Mumbai police had earlier told the court that Goswami had allegedly bribed Dasgupta with lakhs of rupees to ramp up Republic TV’s viewership.

  • Arnab’s WhatsApp chat shows leak of classified information, requires Parliamentary Committee probe, says NCP

    Express News Service
    MUMBAI: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) demanded the forming of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the purported WhatsApp chats of Republic TV Editor Arnab Goswami and BARC former CEO Partho Dasgupta where Arnab claimed to have the Balakot airstrike information three days in advance of the incident.

    Mumbai police have submitted the over 3000 pages charge-sheet and the purported WhatsApp chat that runs over 500 pages are part of this additional charge-sheet of TRP scam. In the WhatsApp chat, it was revealed that Arnab had information of Balakot airstrike three days in advance of the actual strike incident.

    ALSO READ: No coercive action against Arnab Goswami till January 29 in TRP case, says Mumbai Police

    Nawab Malik, NCP minister and a spokesperson said that Arnab Goswami has got the classified military information and he has subsequently shared with BARC former CEO Partho Dasgupta. “This is a very serious matter and concerned with national security. We will take up this matter to parliament and demand the setting up the JPC. We need to probe whether this classified information of Balakot airstrike by Indian Air Force is only shared with Dasgupta or anyone else who is spies and enemy of India. Besides, who is the person in government who shared this confidential information with Arnab Goswami,” Malik said.

    Malik further said that Goswami has committed a very serious crime that is against the interest of the nation. The Congress also demanded the probe in this incident.

    ALSO READ: WhatsApp delays new privacy policy by three months amid severe criticism

    Maharashtra Congress leader and former CM Prithviraj Chavan tweeted that the Government of India must launch a thorough probe. “Also the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence must take this matter with utmost priority. #ArnabGate. The voluminous transcript of Mr Goswami’s chats released by Mumbai Police is deeply disturbing. Who gave access to such sensitive information from national security to constitutional amendments and political appointments? #ArnabGate,” said Chavan.

    Meanwhile, the Maharashtra BJP distanced from the leaked In the WhatsApp chat. Chandrakant Patil said that the BJP and its leaders have nothing to do with the leaked what’s app chat of the Arnab Goswami.

    “Someone is saying or claiming something that does not mean it is true. And, we should not also believe it also,” Patil said.

  • NCP will wait for probe outcome in case against Maharashtra Minister Dhananjay Munde: Sharad Pawar

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: NCP president Sharad Pawar on Friday said the party will think of any action against Maharashtra Minister Dhananjay Munde, facing rape accusation, only after the truth comes out post police probe in the matter.

    Munde, the Social Justice Minister and NCP leader, has been accused of rape by a Mumbai-based woman, a charge he has strongly refuted and termed it as a blackmail attempt.

    Pawar told reporters here that the NCP wants an ACP rank woman officer to be part of the police team that will probe the allegations against Munde.

    The former Union ministers comments came in the wake of NCP leaders holding a late Thursday night meeting to discuss the issue.

    At the meeting it was decided to let Munde continue in his post for now and take a call on his fate after the police investigation is completed.

    Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Pawar had termed the allegations levelled by the woman as serious.

    On Thursday, BJP leader Krishna Hegde and Manish Dhuri of the MNS alleged that the same woman had allegedly harassed them, too.

    Pawar on Friday said the claims made by Hegde and Dhuri were not in public domain when he had termed the allegations of the woman against Munde as being serious.

    When we learnt these things (claims of Hegde and Dhuri), we came to a conclusion that the matter has to be probed in detail.

    “We were and are sure that the police department will do that, Pawar said, adding the party will not interfere in the police investigation. The only thing we suggested was that there should at least one woman ACP rank official probing the matter. They should bring to the fore facts after taking information about the complaints. And they should complete the probe as soon as possible,” he added.

    Pawar said possibility that injustice will be meted to one if the matter is not probed in detail cannot be ruled out and hence, the party is waiting for the investigation outcome.

    The NCP president said he has full confidence that the Mumbai Police will bring the truth out.

    Asked about some BJP leaders targeting the NCP over the episode involving Munde, Pawar said it is the right of the opposition to criticise.

    But, he added, it is the responsibility of the NCP to go deep into the matter to know the facts and take the right decision accordingly.

    On the BJP making repeated allegations against NCP leaders like Munde and Nawab Malik (another NCP minister), Pawar attributed the same to the restlessness of the NDA lead constituent after losing power in Maharashtra.

    “It is alright. I can understand the restlessness of those who have lost power. I dont see it as different from targeting those because of whom they feel they lost the power, he added.

    Malik’s son-in-law has been arrested by the NCB in a drugs case.

    Asked about another allegation against Munde that he hid information about having two more children from the relationship with the sister of the complainant woman, Pawar said it needs to be checked and added such cases of hiding information have happened in the country previously.

    It needs to be checked whether he got married for the second time or has more children, but did not share the information.

    Such cases have happened in the country.

    “Even (there are) cases involving the highest people. But I dont want to go into their details,” Pawar said without naming anyone.

  • Land deal: NCP leader Eknath Khadse arrives at ED office in Mumbai

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: NCP leader and former Maharashtra minister Eknath Khadse on Friday arrived at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office here for recording his statement in a 2016 land deal case.

    Khadse was seen entering the central agencys office at Ballard Estate in South Mumbai around 11 am to appear before ED officials in connection with the land deal of his family in Bhosari area near Pune city.

    Talking to the media outside his home before leaving for the ED office, Khadse, a former BJP leader who joined the NCP last year, said he will cooperate with the agency.

    Policemen in large numbers were deployed outside the ED office and barricades were put to avoid any gathering by his supporters.

    Besides the Mumbai police, personnel from the SRPF were also deployed.

    Khadse (68) was summoned by the ED on December 30, but he skipped appearance citing health reasons.

    ED officials had agreed to give him 14 days time to appear before the agency.

    Earlier, the Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) had investigated the matter and submitted a closure report.

    The Income-Tax department also had sought information in the matter.

    Khadse had resigned from the then Devendra Fadnavis- led Maharashtra cabinet in 2016 after facing allegations regarding the same land deal.

    It was alleged that he misused his official powers to facilitate the purchase of government land by his family.

    Khadse has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

  • Facing rape charges, Dhananjay Munde to continue as minister in Uddhav Cabinet for now

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: In a relief for Maharashtra Minister Dhananjay Munde, who is facing rape allegation by a woman, his party NCP has decided to let him continue in the cabinet post for now, sources said on Friday.

    According to the sources, the decision was taken considering the complaints of harassment made against the woman by some leaders from the opposition BJP and the MNS.

    Top NCP leaders, including party president Sharad Pawar, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Water Resources Minister Jayant Patil and senior leader Praful Patel, met here late Thursday night to discuss the issue.

    The meeting was held at Patel’s residence.

    Munde (45), the social justice minister in the Shiv Sena-led MVA government, has refuted the rape charges and dubbed them as blackmail attempt.

    BJP leader Krishna Hegde on Thursday claimed that the Mumbai-based woman had been harassing him for several years.

    An MNS politician, too, has made similar allegations against her.

    Munde had levelled blackmailing charges against the woman.

    Now other party politicians, too, have levelled such charges against the woman concerned.

    The allegation by BJP and MNS leaders somewhere seems to strengthen Mundes claims.

    A police probe is going on in a case relating to Munde.

    “We will need to wait for its conclusion. So, it was decided that Munde will continue in the post for now,” the sources said.

    On Thursday, NCP patriarch Sharad Pawar said that the allegation against Munde was serious and added the party will discuss the issue and decide on it “as soon as possible.

    Pawar told reporters that Munde met him on Wednesday and explained his side of the episode.

    State NCP president Jayant Patil said on Thursday that Munde would not resign just because someone has made allegations, but asserted the issue would be discussed inside the NCP and a decision would be taken based on facts.

    Patil had also said that any conclusion should be reached only based on police probe outcome into the matter.

    The NCP leader had also claimed that the state government was not interfering in the police probe.

    Munde, an NCP leader from Beed district, has denied the rape allegations, claiming he is being blackmailed by the woman and her sister.

    Munde, however, has acknowledged that he was in a relationship with the complainant woman’s sister and has two children with her.

    The BJP has demanded Munde’s resignation.