Why BJP took 5 years to realise Pawar's experience?: Shiv Sena
Mumbai: Days after Sharad Pawar revealed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered him to work together, the Shiv Sena wondered why the BJP took five years to realise the NCP chief's "utility and experience".
An editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' on Wednesday sought to know what benefit the BJP was trying to seek from the NCP, which the saffron party leaders earlier called as the "Naturally Corrupt Party".
It also said that had the NCP won less than "55 seats" in the Maharashtra Assembly polls, the BJP would not have tried to make friendly overtures to Pawar's party.
All efforts of the BJP were only to restrict the Shiv Sena from coming to power. However, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray halted the BJP's plans to gain power, it said.
Thackeray took over as chief minister over a month after state Assembly poll results were declared on October 24. The Marathi publication also warned the BJP that if its foot slips again, it will fall. Pawar on Monday said Modi had proposed "working together", but he rejected the offer.
The NCP supremo said he made it clear to Modi that it won't be possible for him to work together with the PM.
Reacting to it, the Sena said, "We wonder why the BJP took five years to realise Pawar's utility and experience. Had the NCP won less that 55 seats in the Assembly polls, the BJP would not have tried to woo the party.
In the October 21 state polls, the BJP won 105 seats, the Shiv Sena 56, the NCP 54 and the Congress 44.
The Sena, which fought the elections in alliance with the BJP, however, later fell with its decades-old partner over the issue of sharing the chief minister's post.
The Marathi daily noted that Modi earlier called the NCP as "Naturally Corrupt Party" and before the Assembly polls, BJP president Amit Shah questioned Pawar's contribution towards the development of Maharashtra.
"If all that was true, then what kind of benefit was the BJP anticipating from NCP's experience?" the Sena asked.
After the Lok Sabha polls this year, the Enforcement Directorate initiated an inquiry into an alleged land deal between NCP leader Praful Patel and a terror suspect in Mumbai. An ED notice was sent to Pawar as well (before the Maharashtra Assembly polls), the Sena pointed out.
"It was the beginning of the BJP's corrupt practice to prepare a ground for government formation after the Assembly elections in Maharashtra. But, Pawar did not bow down to Delhi's pressure tactics," the Marathi daily said.
The ED in September filed a money laundering case against Pawar in the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank scam.
"Like Pawar, industrialist Rahul Bajaj said in Amit Shah's presence that under the latter's regime, there is no freedom of speech and to live fearlessly," the Sena said.
All this happened in Maharashtra, as it has "more experience of living with courage than other states," it said.
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Man held for killing 19-year-old college student in Himachal's Mandi
Shimla (PTI): One person has been arrested for allegedly killing a 19-year-old girl by slitting her throat in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district, police said on Monday.
According to police, the incident occurred on Monday morning near the Gopalpur area, when the girl, identified as Siya Guleria, was on her way to college.
At that time, two unidentified assailants, riding on a bike, intercepted her and brutally assaulted her with a sharp weapon and slit her throat.
While the girl succumbed to injuries on the spot, the accused fled.
Police reached the spot as soon as they received the information and recovered the body. In the meantime, locals found the 36-year-old suspect in nearby fields where he was hiding.
The villagers also recovered the weapon used in the murder and immediately informed the police.
The situation got tense as locals who caught the culprit demanded that the accused be hanged, while the police team took him into custody and assured strict action against him.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Mandi, Vinod Kumar, said that a case of Murder has been registered.
The accused, identified as Vikas, has been arrested. Further investigation is underway, the SP said.
Several injury marks were found on the girl's body, and the forensic teams have taken the samples. The body would be handed over to the family members after conducting a postmortem at Nerchowk Medical College, he added.
Expressing deep anguish and strong condemnation over the brutal murder, Governor Kavinder Gupta termed it as "heinous, inhuman and deeply disturbing".
He said that such acts of violence are unacceptable in a civilised society and must be dealt with utmost severity.
The Governor spoke with the Director General of Police (DGP) and took a detailed report of the incident. He directed the police authorities to ensure strict and swift action against the culprit and to bring the guilty to justice at the earliest.
He also emphasised the need for continued vigilance and collective efforts to ensure the safety and security of citizens, especially women, according to a statement issued here.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, who met the family members of the victim on Monday, said that there are allegations that the accused was involved in drugs, and this aspect should also be probed. He demanded strict and fast action in the case.
He said that the family members feel that the condition of the road near their house was not good, and had the road been good, the girl would not have had to walk.
