Pune (Maharashtra) [India], January 13 : Nationalist Congress Party chief and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday condemned the Brihanmumbai Municipal Elections (BMC) being given a 'communal angle.' As he reaffirmed that he has 'a secular mindset', he said that in such a diverse country like India, everyone is equally a citizen.
"I do not like this at all, I have a secular mindset. The ideology of Ambedkar does not teach us this. I just have to say that our country is so big, and those who stay in this country are all Indians. If someone is committing treason against the country, action should be taken against them, and they should be given the death penalty, a new law should be made," Ajit Pawar told ANI in an exclusive interview.
Calling on the ideology of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, Pawar, "Everyone should get the opportunity to show and do their work, Babasaheb Ambedkar told us that only in the Constitution, and others have said the same too."
Pawar's statement comes a day after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asserted that the new BMC mayor will be "from Mahayuti, will be a Hindu, and a Marathi."
Countering Opposition claims over threats to the "Marathi manush," Fadnavis said it was not the Marathi community but certain political forces whose existence was at stake, underscoring that Maharashtra belongs to all Marathi people, not any single group.
"It's not the Marathi manush whose existence is in danger. It's you whose existence is at stake. I want to say this again that you are not the whole Maharashtra. You are not the only Marathi here. I want to reiterate that only Marathi person will be at the helm of affairs in BMC. Only Marathi will lead," Fadnavis said.
AIMIM leaders have also replied to the statements, with the party chief Asaddudin Owaisi saying that a hijab-clad daughter will become India's Prime Minister one day. The statement was heavily criticised by BJP leader Nitish Rane, claiming in such a stituation, a "Hindu nation" will become an "Islamic state".
"Barking dogs never bite. The attempt to turn the nation into an Islamic state begins with the threat of a burqa-clad Prime Minister. Owaisi is trying to threaten us by suggesting that if a burqa-clad woman can become Prime Minister tomorrow, then everyone will be forcibly converted, and this Hindu nation will be transformed into an Islamic state," Nitish Rane told reporters in Mumbai.
On the other hand, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday made a strong pitch for Marathi unity, warning that the state's language, land and identity are under threat.
Addressing party workers, Thackeray said people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar should not impose Hindi in Maharashtra, asserting that any such attempt would be resisted.
He termed the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls as a "decisive" election for the Marathi community, urging voters to unite for Maharashtra and remain vigilant on polling day to prevent any malpractice.
Polling for Mumbai's municipal elections will be conducted on January 15, along with polling for more than 20 other municipal corporations. The results will be announced on January 16.
While the estranged Thackeray cousins, Raj and Uddhav, have decided to ally for the Mumbai local body elections, another alliance of estranged family members, of Ajit Pawar's party and Sharad Pawar has also been formed to contest the Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad local body polls.