The Nationalist Congress Party on Wednesday lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party over Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik's questioning and subsequent arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case, saying this was another instance of 'misuse of power' and a pressure tactic to silence his voice since he had exposed wrongdoings of some people.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar said his party had anticipated such an action against its leader Malik as he 'speaks openly'.
The Shiv Sena and Congress, which share power with the NCP as part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra, also threw their weight behind 62-year-old Malik, saying they need to unitedly fight against the tactics to silence political opponents.
The BJP, however, said the ED's action should not be called 'vendetta politics' and if leaders of the ruling parties feel there is misuse of power, they can move court to seek justice.
The opposition party also said that after his arrest, Malik has no right to remain as a cabinet minister and demanded his resignation.
The ED on Wednesday arrested Malik, state Minority Affairs Minister and NCP's chief spokesperson, in a money-laundering probe linked to the activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his aides, officials said.
Malik's office in a Twitter post said the ED officials came to his residence here in the morning and accompanied him in his vehicle to the probe agency's office, and asserted that he 'won't be afraid and won't bow down'.
Before the arrest, the ED questioned Malik for hours, officials said.
Reacting to the ED's action, Pawar said, "Which case have they dug up? It is simple. They take the name of Dawood, especially if there is a Muslim activist (against whom a case is dug up). There is no relation (between the activist concerned and underworld), but it is done."
Pawar recalled that he too was 'targeted similarly' in the early 90s when he was the chief minister of Maharashtra and an atmosphere was created against him.
"25 years have passed since then. Similarly, names (of underworld) are being taken to defame people, trouble them and misuse the power, people who take positions against the Centre or the misuse of probe agencies are being troubled and this is what has happened here," he said.
NCP spokesperson Clyde Crasto alleged that the action against Malik was nothing but 'pressure tactics' to silence his voice.
'He was exposing the wrongdoings of some people as a Chief Spokesperson of a political party. Voices of truth cannot be silenced,' Crasto tweeted.
NCP workers protested near the party's headquarters, located close to the ED's office in south Mumbai.
The workers shouted slogans slamming the BJP-led central government and the ED.
NCP's Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule said Maharashtra has never bowed down before the Centre and it never will.
She said it was unfortunate that the Centre was using its machinery against the BJP's political rivals in a 'suppressive' manner.
Sule, who is the daughter of NCP chief Sharad Pawar, claimed the ED's notice is issued only to opposition leaders.
"Once you quit your own party and join them, then the notice disappears or goes into a shredder. We should know which shredder is this," she said sarcastically without taking any name.
The NCP stands with Malik, arrested by the ED in connection with a money laundering case, with all its strength and the truth shall prevail, she said.
Some BJP leaders have earlier predicted arrests or raids on political rivals, which she added, proved to be true later.
She said she will raise the issue of such predictions before Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament when it will be in session next.
The Lok Sabha member from Baramati also reiterated that Maharashtra never bowed down before the seat of power in Delhi and will never do so.
"Some people in the BJP were tweeting consistently, saying that there will be arrests or raids after 15 days. It has proved to be true as ED and BJP are working together is what we can say if we look at the chronology," Sule later told ABP Majha news channel.
The NCP will fight with all its strength, she added.
"Satyamev Jayate (truth shall prevail). We are soldiers of Chhatrapati. Maharashtra has not bowed down before Delhi and will never. The party stands with Nawab Bhai with all its strength," she added.
The Parliamentarian said action is taken as per law if one is found to have leaked examination paper.
"Who should I seek justice to when the ED's paper gets leaked (when its action is predicted)? Shah should give justice if the (ED's) paper has leaked. I am seeking justice as a woman," she said, adding she will raise the issue before Shah in Parliament.
Sule also said that the NCP will approach court to seek justice for Malik.
Maharashtra NCP president and state minister Jayant Patil said this was another instance of 'misuse of power'.
"The ED reached his (Malik's) residence at 6 am without issuing any notice. The ED had brought with it its own police. Some people may be deliberately trying to trouble him," he claimed.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said Malik's arrest is politics of vengeance.
"The entire country is watching what's happening in Maharashtra, Jharkhand and West Bengal. This is a political as well as a legal battle," he told reporters.
"This is a challenge to the Maharashtra government. The central investigation agencies, like a mafia, are targeting BJP's political opponents who expose falsehood. But, truth will prevail and the fight will continue," the Shiv Sena's spokesperson said.
"This (targeting of individuals by digging old cases) will continue till 2024 and after that they will have to face the consequences," Raut said in a veiled attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party and central agencies.
Raut alsosaid he spoke to all senior leaders of the MVA and claimed he will soon 'expose' the central probe agencies.
Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole termed Malik's questioning by the ED as an act of 'revenge' and said the need of the hour was to unitedly fight against the tactics to silence political opponents.
He said the Congress stands firmly with Malik, who has been raising his voice against the BJP's 'anti-people' policies and its 'arrogance of power'.
However, state BJP state president Chandrakant Patil sought the resignation of Malik following his arrest.
Patil said there is a big list of leaders and ministers from the MVA government in the state and competition is on among themselves that who will go to jail first in order to secure a good cell.
"After the arrest by ED, Malik has no moral and legal right to remain in the position of a cabinet minister. I would like to request Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to take a decision (on his resignation) at the earliest," he demanded.
He said if Malik does not resign, then there will be no alternative before the BJP but to hit the streets and agitate.
The former minister said that if leaders of the NCP and other MVA constituents think that the ED's action against Malik is misuse of power, then they can approach court to seek justice.
"We (BJP) have been subjected to injustice for the last 27 months (by the state government), but when our 12 MLAs were suspended, we went to court and got justice. Similarly, if they think that victimisation is happening, they should approach the court," Patil said.
"One minister had to resign in connection with the alleged suicide of a woman, another cabinet minister who was home minister of the state, is currently in jail. A police officer, who was commissioner of Mumbai, was at large for some time, another police officer, Sachin Waze is in jail," he addeed.
"One minister is not appearing before the ED although he has been served a notice. An order was issued to raze a resort in Alibaug belonging to a minister. One leader razed his own bungalow," Patil said.
He said that in the case of suspension of 12 BJP MLAs, the government acted in an unconstitutional manner.
Senior BJP leader and former state finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, "Malik is not a state-level leader of the NCP. If he has done something suspicious, then it should be probed. There should not be a rush to stamp it as vendetta politics."
Speaking to reporters here today, BJP leader Ashish Shelar countered the Shiv Sena and NCP's a allegation that the BJP was misusing central agencies for its vendetta politics.
"The central agencies have undertaken some probe related to national security. So why are Shiv Sena and NCP trying to pressure these agencies? They can seek legal answers to it by following the due procedures. There should not be any politicisation of issues related to national security. BJP will not indulge in such politics. I am only countering the attack on party because we are targeted and dragged in this issue," he said.
The Shiv Sena is trying to obstruct the investigation in this matter, but thereby it is showing its sympathies towards terrorists, he alleged.
