Maharashtra MLAs across parties deplore sarpanch's murder, Constitution replica desecration

Nagpur, Dec 18 (PTI) Members cutting across party lines in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Wednesday condemned the gruesome murder of a village sarpanch in Beed district and the desecration of a Constitution replica in Parbhani district.

Legislators appeared stunned and shocked when Suresh Dhas (BJP) shared in the house details of the abduction and brutal murder of Massajog village sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh.

Members demanded a high-level probe into both incidents, which took place in the last fortnight in the central Maharashtra districts, and strict action against the culprits.

Initiating debate in the lower house, Nitin Raut (Congress) said Sopan Pawar, the man allegedly involved in the desecration of the Constitution replica in Parbhani, should be booked for treason.

He said Pawar was part of a procession taken out to protest against atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh. The opposition MLA asked the government to go through "provocative speeches" made during the procession.

Raut demanded a judicial or special investigation team (SIT) probe into the Parbhani incident and added ''even (Nathuram) Godse was called mentally unstable when he killed Mahatma Gandhi".

The Parbhani police after arresting Pawar had claimed he was "mentally unstable".

Raut condemned police lathi-charge on peaceful protesters who were demonstrating against the desecration of the Constitution replica.

He said law student Somnath Suryavanshi, arrested in connection with violence in Parbhani over the desecration of the Constitution replica, later died, while a woman, Vatsala Manvate, an onlooker, was beaten up mercilessly by police.

Suryawanshi died in judicial custody after he was arrested.

Raj Kumar Badole (NCP) also condemned the vandalization incident and demanded a thorough probe into it by an SIT. He maintained it should be checked whether accused Pawar was really "mentally unstable".

Rahul Patil (Shiv Sena-UBT) dubbed the incident as an "organised crime".

Namita Mundada, the BJP MLA from Kaij in Beed district, raised the issue of murder of sarpanch Deshmukh. She lamented that the people of Beed district have lost trust in elected representatives and the local police.

There is tremendous fear about the Beed police and people wonder who controls them. Police know the killers, but after 10 days, only four of the seven accused have been arrested, said the ruling party legislator.

"Let the murder of sarpanch Deshmukh be the last such incident in Beed district," she said.

Suresh Dhas (BJP) said Deshmukh was a three-time sarpanch who intervened to resolve a fight in the village where a Dalit community watchman was beaten up.

Dhas, the MLA from Ashti in Beed district, narrated the entire sequence of events related to the murder of Deshmukh and demanded that the scope of probe cover the role of "higher ups" involved in protecting the accused.

The Massajog village sarpanch was abducted from his car near a toll plaza, and his body was later found in the Daithana area of Kej tehsil. The state CID is investigating the murder.

"The assault on Deshmukh was recorded and its video was shown to someone. This aspect needs to be investigated,'' Dhas said.

He said the sarpanch was also the local BJP booth committee president and it should be probed whom the accused named in his murder met during the last one year.

An IG or DG-level probe in the sarpanch murder was required so that there was no political pressure, said the BJP MLA.

Jitendra Awhad (NCP-SP) said Maharashtra has never seen such a brutal murder and what is shocking is that the crime has political blessings.

The former state minister demanded a judicial probe into the murder and said everyone knows who is the political leader behind the accused Valmik Karad, who has been booked for extortion in the case.

"There will be no justice for Santosh Deshmukh until you appoint a retired judge for probe his murder... till you remove your cabinet colleague from the ministry," Awhad said without naming anyone.

Abhimanyu Pawar (BJP) said Parbhani resident Suryavanshi was clicking pictures of the protest, but police had "no right to kill him".

He insisted Maharashtra has never seen such a gruesome murder and added "no matter who the accused are, they should be punished.'' PTI MR RSY