Controversial video of Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar with woman IPS officer goes viral. Opposition demands resignation. Pawar stated his intention was not to interfere with an officer's work.
Mumbai: A video of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is rapidly going viral on social media. The video shows Ajit Pawar interacting with a female IPS officer, which has been taken very seriously by the opposition and social activists. Following this incident, political parties and civil activists are demanding Ajit Pawar's resignation.
The video shows the Deputy CM instructing the officer to halt the action, which has further escalated the matter. Ajit Pawar later clarified that his intention was not to interfere with any officer's work and that his objective was solely to maintain peace.
Full sequence of events
The incident occurred on September 4th in Kuru village, Solapur district. Police officer Anjana Krishna received information that some individuals were illegally extracting gravel and boulders in the village. She then arrived at the scene with her team and took steps to stop the illegal activity.
Following this incident, one of the villagers called Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar directly to inform him. This led to a conversation between Ajit Pawar and IPS officer Anjana Krishna. The video shows Ajit Pawar telling the officer, "How dare you not recognize me? I will take action against you." He then obtained the officer's number and spoke to her via video call.
Reaction from opposition and social activists
After the viral video, opposition parties and social activists launched a sharp attack on Ajit Pawar. Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut stated that the viral video clearly shows the Deputy CM defending thieves or individuals involved in illegal activities. He demanded Ajit Pawar's resignation from his post.
Social activist Anjali Damania also advised Ajit Pawar to step down. She stated that such behavior erodes trust among government officials and the public.
Action by the police department
Following the incident, the police have registered a criminal case against approximately a dozen people involved in the illegal extraction of gravel and boulders in Kuru village. This includes the NCP worker who called the Deputy Chief Minister. The police stated that legal action will be taken against all accused, and strict measures will be implemented to prevent such incidents in the future.
Ajit Pawar's clarification
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar provided his clarification on the entire controversy. He stated that his intention was not to interfere with the work of any government official. He said, "I did not want the situation to escalate there. I spoke to the officer solely to maintain peace and keep the situation under control."
Ajit Pawar's party, NCP State President Sunil Tatkare, also defended him. He stated that there is nothing wrong if the Deputy Chief Minister contacts an officer directly for any public work. He described it as part of the "Janata Darbar" (public grievances forum), where ministers often give instructions to officials for direct action.
