Fadnavis attacks MVA govt, demands resignation of Malik

@the_news_21

Mumbai:

Launching a scathing attack over the arrest of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) minister Nawab Malik, Leader of Opposition, Devendra Fadnavis said that the latter has to resign from his ministerial post over his alleged involvement in a controversial land deal allegedly linked to the fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. 

Fadnavis questioned the need to have a deal that has connections with the country’s number one enemy Dawood Ibrahim. The BJP leader was reacting to the arrest of the Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCPs) Minorities Affairs Minister Nawab Malik on Wednesday by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a land deal. The ED has been given the remand of the NCP Minister till March 3. 

Fadnavis remarked, “What is the reason for a person to purchase land from Mumbai blasts accused. What was the reason to have the transaction with Haseena Parkar? After this transaction, there were three terror attacks in Mumbai. It is condemnable that you are dealing with such people and giving them money who are involved in attacking Mumbai.”

The BJP leader justified the ED’s action of arresting Nawab Malik and said it was as per the rules. “The terror funding angle is very clear in this matter. How can we support transactions with Dawood Ibrahim who is the enemy number one of the country and his sister Haseena Parkar,” asked Fadnavis.

Terming the matter as very serious, the former chief minister said not to bring politics into this. “It is a very serious matter. Any political party should condemn such an act if it has a terror funding angle and money is going to Dawood Ibrahim and Haseena Parkar. No one should play politics in this but should come together against Dawood Ibrahim who is the enemy of the country,” he added. 

Commenting upon the resignation of the minister, Fadnavis said there should not be another opinion. “A wrong precedent is being made in this case. He has been arrested in connection with terror funding. NIA has filed a case and now ED has arrested him for money laundering. In such a case, if the minister or his government is not seeking his resignation then they are creating a constitutional crisis. A wrong message would go to the public that the government is supporting a minister who had done transactions with Dawood,” he further added. 

On the BJP’s view about the resignation, Fadnavis said “We think that this is a serious matter and there should not be any need for us to demand Malik’s resignation. He has to resign from the ministry on his own. We would expose this government fully and our president Chandrakant Patil would soon express his opinion on the issue,” he said.