Maha Sarpanch murder: Minister Dhananjay Munde dares critics to provide proof of his involvement

Shirdi (Maharashtra), Jan 19 Amid the chorus for his resignation in connection with the Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh's brutal killing due to his aide Walmik Karad’s links with it, Maharashtra Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Dhananjay Munde on Sunday dared his critics as well as ruling and opposition members to provide proof about his involvement, urging them to stop making baseless allegations.

"The murder of Santosh Deshmukh in Beed district in December was extremely unfortunate and outrageous. I have been of the clear opinion since day one that the killers of Santosh Deshmukh should be hanged. Crime has no caste or religion. However, under the cover of this incident, a community is being deliberately criminalised on the basis of caste. I am being deliberately targeted, but I am not Abhimanyu, I am Arjun,” he said in his address at the NCP's 'Navsankalp Shibir' here.

Munde was conspicuous by his absence on the inaugural day of the programme, but on Sunday, he was present, and also spoke at the convention.

"The media trial after the murder of the late Santosh Deshmukh, mudslinging on social media and politics played by some have put the social unity of the Beed district at risk. Our party is based on the thoughts of Shiva, Shahu, Phule, Ambedkar, so now everyone will have to take responsibility for maintaining social harmony in our Beed district.

"We are ordinary people who live by growing and cutting sugarcanes, working hard, and doing dry-land farming. If such defamation continues, next month is Mahashivratri, we are afraid whether the devotees will come to have the darshan of Prabhu Vaidyanath, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas. I sincerely appeal to stop the defamation of Parli,” said Munde, who has been dropped from the list of district guardian ministers announced by the state government on Saturday.

Munde also thanked Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar as well as the entire party for standing with him during the controversy.

“Since joining the Nationalist Congress Party, I have stood firmly with Ajit Pawar in every decision. On many occasions, attempts were made to make Ajit Pawar a villain. We took the bull by its horns. Now I am being deliberately targeted under the pretext of an unfortunate murder case in Beed district. I feel even sadder that I am being targeted by the leaders of the MahaYuti.

"Some people in the party are also misleading Ajit Pawar by giving wrong information to him. However, since I am still aware of my role and the facts, Ajit Pawar is standing by me and also the party even in these difficult times,” he said.

He further said: "I did a good job as the Minister of Social Justice. Many revolutionary decisions were taken during that time, such as changing the caste-based names of villages and settlements, and establishing the Sugarcane Workers Welfare Corporation. As the Agriculture Minister, I succeeded in getting the crop insurance of Rs 11,000 crore in a year for farmers but despite that I was criticised. However, people who level charges against me are not talking about my achievements."