The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government has decided to extend full support to arrested NCP minister Nawab Malik and not seek his resignation as of now.
After Malik's arrest on Wednesday, top leaders of MVA allies—Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP—got into panic mode and held a series of meetings. The first meeting was held at the residence of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar where NCP ministers and senior leaders were present. The second meeting was held at Varsha, the official residence of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, where Sharad Pawar was present to discuss the further course of action. This meeting was attended by all senior ministers from MVA allies.
A decision was taken at the meeting that Nawab Malik should not be asked to resign as it was unanimously felt that charges against him are politically motivated as he took on the BJP and the Central government.
Senior NCP minister Chhagan Bhujbal told reporters that the government had decided to fully back Nawab Malik. He pointed out that Union Minister Narayan Rane was not asked to resign when he was arrested last year after making “I would have slapped the CM” remarks against Uddhav Thackeray.
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“The government will not seek Malik's resignation as the charges against him are not proven and an old deal has been dug out to book him under PMLA when the law was not even in existence. This is an attempt to destabilise the MVA government and we will fight this pressure together,” said Bhujbal.
The BJP, meanwhile, has announced its decision to hold a statewide agitation to press for Malik's resignation. “A minister who has been charged with terror funding and money laundering must resign. Three bomb blasts have taken place in Mumbai after Malik's deal with Dawood Ibrahim's gang members. Government should immediately ask Malik to resign. If it doesn't it, would send a very bad signal that state government is standing behind a minister who is accused of dealing with Dawood Ibrahim, India's number one wanted gangster,” said former chief minister and leader of opposition Devendra Fadnavis. Fadnavis had exposed the alleged deal by Malik for which he is facing money laundering and terror-funding charges.
