MVA, Maha Yuti spar over 'guns and goons' in Maharashtra; Fadnavis & Pawar decry politics over shooting

Mumbai: Amid the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi charge of deteriorating law and order situation in Maharashtra, the BJP-led Maha Yuti ruling alliance said it was wrong to give a political colour to it even as Deputy Chief Ministers - Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar - said that the shoot-out between Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Abhishek Ghosalkar and local businessman social worker Mauris Noronha alias Mauris Bhai seems to be because of personal enmity.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, however, has not spoken about the incident so far.

Fadnavis’ statement came after the MVA demanded his resignation over the back-to-back incidents in Mumbai’s suburbs besides Pune and Nagpur.

“The issue is serious…we are investigating…please do not politicise it,” Fadnavis, who is also the state Home Minister, said on Friday.

“What has happened is because of personal enmity,” he said, adding that both were together and suddenly the firing took place. “In the shooting Abhishek Ghosalkar died while Mauris Noronha shot himself,” he said, adding that in the recent past the posters were seen together and they had worked together. “What went wrong is a matter of investigation,” he said, adding issues like whether the source of the weapon, whether it was licensed or not, who was the owner and so on.

“What has happened is wrong and unfortunate. Investigations were in progress,” said Pawar. “The conversation between the two during the live-streaming seemed friendly. Looking at the conversation, their relationship also looked cordial, but suddenly this happened,” he said, adding that the opposition is trying to defame the government over the issue. “But the background of the incident needs to be probed. It needs to be checked what exactly had happened (between them) in the past,” he added.

Earlier the MVA, put out photos of Mauris Noronha alias Mauris Bhai with top leaders including Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and former Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.

The photo of Shinde with Mauris Bhai has caused embarrassment to the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP government.

The opposition also lashed out at Fadnavis for the deteriorating law and order in the state and sought his immediate resignation.

Putting out a photo, Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut said: “Mauris Noronha, who shot Abhishek Ghosalkar, was in Varsha, the Chief Minister’s official bungalow, four days ago. Mauris was invited to join the Shinde Sena.”

Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Priyanka Chaturvedi too put out a photo of the Mauris Bhai with Shinde, former Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and Fadnavis’s wife Amruta Fadnavis, a banker, social worker singer and celebrity.

“The shooter, Mauris, with the people who matter. From the illegitimate CM (a pic taken 4 days ago) to the state’s Mrs Home (Illegitimate) Minister and a Pracharak Governor. My state deserves better,” she posted on X.

Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole too put a photo of Mauris Bhai with Shinde and lashed out at the government. “The recent incidents of open firing in Maharashtra is a very serious matter, the death of former Corporator Abhishek Ghosalkar, in an attack is shocking. The manner in which he was killed is horrific. Is there law and order in the state? This question is getting bigger. The decline of Maharashtra from all sides is sad. One wonders whether the Home Minister sitting in the 'Sagar' bungalow is paying attention to the law and order system of Maharashtra or not.”

Hitting out at the government, state Congress chief spokesperson Atul Londhe said that the dispensation has made Maharashtra a “state of goons.”

NCP (SP) leader Jitendra Awhad said that what is happening is a very serious issue. One wonders whether the Home Minister sitting in thed 'Sagar' bungalow is paying attention to the law and order system of Maharashtra or not. “It is a matter of shame for everyone here that progressive Maharashtra is moving towards UP/Bihar irrespective of the government. Where there is open firing on political leaders, what will be the guarantee of public safety,” he said.