Have spoken to CM over Beed, Parbhani situation, need of hour is unity: Sharad Pawar

Pune, Jan 11 (PTI) NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar on Saturday said he had spoken to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on efforts to normalise the social tension gripping Beed and Parbhani after the murder of a sarpanch and death of a Dalit youth arrested for violence after a replica of the Constitution was vandalised.

The murder of Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh in Beed on December 9 has triggered a slugfest between the ruling and opposition parties as one of those held in a related extortion case is a close aide of minister Dhananjay Munde.

The murder has seen widespread protests in the state and it has also given rise to fears of a caste conflict since Deshmukh was a Maratha and some of those held hail from the Vanjari community.

Somnath Suryavanshi, a youth who was arrested after violence broke out in Parbhani on December 10, died on December 15 after he was rushed to a hospital from jail following sudden illness.

Speaking at an event here, Pawar cited his experience in dealing with the devastating Latur earthquake, in which more than 10000 persons died, and the serial blasts in Mumbai, both in 1993, as chief minister.

The people of Maharashtra were socially aware and always stood united and cooperated with the administration in crises, the former Union minister pointed out.

"It requires a united effort to restore normalcy and a chief minister cannot do it alone. I held a detailed discussion with CM Fadnavis today over the prevailing situation in Beed and Parbhani after these incidents. Most of my time these days is devoted on how to normalize the situation and resolve issues in Beed and Parbhani," Pawar said.

"People who lived harmoniously are now living in fear and have developed animosity for one another. I spoke to the CM. We may have political differences but come what may we have to work to keep people united," he asserted. PTI MR BNM