Nationalist Congress Party MLA Sangram Jagtap has sparked a row with his remarks appealing to people to ensure only Hindu shopkeepers profit during Diwali, and later justifying his stand by citing the Pahalgam terror attack.
NCP president and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has strongly disapproved of the remarks, saying the party will issue a show-cause notice to Jagtap.
A video clip of Jagtap has gone viral, purportedly appealing to people 'to ensure that only Hindus (traders) benefit' while shopping for Diwali.
On Saturday, Jagtap defended his remarks, referring to the Pahalgam terror attack.
"People were killed (by terrorists) in Pahalgham after asking their religion. I only said that people should check the religion (of sellers) while shopping for Diwali," the Ahmednagar MLA said.
Pawar stated that the remarks are not in sync with the NCP's ideology.
"This statement (by Jagtap) is completely wrong. When the party's policies and objectives have already been decided, no MLA should make such remarks. This is not acceptable to the party. We will send him a show-cause notice," Pawar told reporters in Pune.
"Till Arunkaka Jagtap (Sangram Jagtap's father) was alive, everything was fine in Ahilyanagar (formerly Ahmednagar). We are feeling an additional burden. Some individuals should remember that in the absence of patronage from their father, they should behave and talk responsibly," Pawar added.
Ajit Pawar-led NCP is a constituent of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti government.