The controversy over whether NCB Mumbai zonal director Sameer Dawood/Dnyandev Wankhede is a Hindu or a Muslim seemed to be taking a new turn with a host of political parties joining the issue.
The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has found that his caste certificate of Wankhede, an officer of 2008 IRS-batch, is original.
NSCS vice-chairman Arun Haldar had a discussion with Wankhede on the issue after the latter called on him during his Mumbai visit.
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“He showed me his certificates and said that he belongs to the Scheduled Castes. We will get to know after seven days what report the Maharashtra government submits to us. We will then make a decision on this issue,” Haldar said.
Reacting to the development, NCP chief spokesperson and state minority affairs minister Nawab Malik reiterated that Wankhede is a Muslim.
“Sameer Wankhede did not convert because he is a Muslim by birth, his father had converted. I stand by my point that he got his job by forging an SC certificate, he has snatched the rights of a deserving SC candidate by grabbing the job,” he said, adding that his father Dnyandev Wankhede has converted and become Dawood Wankhede.
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The senior Wankhede had married a Muslim woman Zaheeda after converting and they had two children - Yasmeen alias Jasmeen Wankhede, who is a lawyer by profession and an activist and Sameer Wankhede.
Meanwhile, Malik’s party colleague and state social justice minister Dhananjay Munde said, ”If anyone objects to the caste proof of Sameer Wankhede, our department is going to take action against his complaint.”
In a related development, Wankhede’s wife and Marathi actress Kranti Redkar and father Dnyandev Wankhede called on RPI (Athawale) president Ramdas Athawale, who is the minister of state for social justice in the Narendra Modi government, and present their case.
“Injustice is being done to him. So, I needed to take a stand and support them. Sameer Wankhede is a Dalit,” said Athawale.
“Athawale is supporting us because we have shown him all the documents. All claims made by Malik have been proven false,” said Redkar.
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