Congress leader, Sena echo Mamata Banerjee raise questions about Ajit Pawar’s plane crash

Senior Congress leader from Maharashtra Vijay Wadettiwar as well as leaders of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena have questioned whether the late Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s plane crash was indeed an accident, echoing what was suggested by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee immediately after the tragic incident, even as the Fadnavis Government initiated a CID investigation into the crash on Friday.

Reacting to the Fadnavis government announcing a CID probe into the late Ajit Pawar’s air crash at Baramati airport, senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar told media persons that “I don’t think anything much will come out of the CID investigation announced today. Instead, a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe must be conducted and that too under the supervision of a High Court judge”.

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Significantly, after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee suggested the possibility of a “conspiracy,” NCP founder Sharad Pawar told media persons that the incident was purely an accident and must not be politicised.

However, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena leader Sushma Andhare told media persons here on Friday, “They said that the air crash happened because of low visibility at Baramati airport but Ajit Pawar’s aircraft was clearly visible in the CCTV from a distance while hovering. If there was a foggy atmosphere there, how come the footage in the CCTV is so clear?”

“Although it is not appropriate to talk about this immediately, questions raised by Trinamool Congress President Mamata Banerjee are very important. Why is not a single leader in the ruling party saying firmly that this inquiry must be done or that we should conduct this inquiry even at the international level? Why have NCP leaders Praful Patel, Hasan Mushrif and Dilip Walse Patil, who are the second rung in the party after Ajit Dada, so silent? This is not just a loss for the Pawar family, it is a loss for Maharashtra,” Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena leader Sushma Andhare said.

Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP and chief Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut also demanded a thorough probe into the air crash which killed the late Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. “There is a need for a thorough investigation into the manner in which the accident occurred. I know that Baramati Airport did not have radar. There was no ATC or any other system. So who is responsible for such an accident?” Sanjay Raut said.

“If there is no air traffic control (ATC) or radar at Baramati airport, then the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is responsible for it. How do they operate such an airport? DGCA will have to take responsibility. Also, after Ajit Dada’s death, the Pawar family has suffered a big blow and it is inhuman for ministers to say who will lead the NCP or who will be the Deputy Chief Minister in place of Ajit Dada,” Sanjay Raut told media persons on Friday.

“The demands I have made are not political. The DCGA controls many things in air transport. But, in the past few years, there have been many accidents in which many people have died. Baramati airport did not have any radar, ATC or any system. There was one runway and VIP planes were landing on it. Baramati airport had insufficient staff. VIPs like Sharad Pawar and Gautam Adani were landing there. Who is responsible for such a situation? Ajit Pawar’s plane was hovering in the sky, since it was not getting a chance to land. They say there was no visibility. So who asked the pilot to land? What was the DGCA doing,” Sanjay Raut said.

“Why were so many big leaders and VIPs allowed to land at Baramati airport, though there is neither any system not staff there? An investigation should also be conducted into who gave the message to the pilot to land despite the lack of visibility. The BJP and the Prime Minister had accused Ajit Dada of the Rs 70,000 crore irrigation scam. If you really love Dada, then you should withdraw the allegations made by the BJP and the Prime Minister against Dada. That would be the best tribute to him. If he was taken into the cabinet because he was innocent, then those allegations should be accepted as false and now they should be withdrawn unconditionally,” Raut said.

Responding to questions about political developments after the late Ajit Pawar’s tragic demise, Raut said, “Maharashtra has not yet recovered from the shock of Ajit Dada’s tragic demise and yet if someone is doing politics in his name, it is completely wrong. At such a time, political discussions or playing cards about leadership are inhuman and a sign of zero humanity. Every member of the Pawar family is currently mourning. So it is not appropriate to comment on this issue for at least 20 days.”

However, shortly after Sanjay Raut’s statement, the BJP responded with a press conference lashing out against Raut. “Late Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s funeral is still warm, but Sanjay Raut’s vulture-like comments are a testament to his vulture-like nature. Then everyone in the state is mourning the untimely demise of Ajit Pawar, Raut deliberately defamed him by mentioning the irrigation scam. The people of Maharashtra will give a befitting reply to Sanjay Raut, who is showing a low attitude on this sad occasion. Raut, who has lost his mental balance, has reached the peak of insensitivity,” BJP spokesperson Navnath Ban told media persons on Friday at the BJP Maharashtra state office.

“BJP knows how to treat an ally. If the BJP released front page newspaper advertisements to pay emotional tribute to its true friend, then why should Raut get a stomach ache? Maharashtra has seen how Uddhav Thackeray and Raut stabbed their ally Devendra Fadnavis in the back for power in 2019. The investigation into the plane crash will be expedited. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has written to Union Civil Aviation Minister Naidu demanding an inquiry into Ajit Dada’s plane crash. The Union Ministry has also ordered an inquiry. Not only this, a CID inquiry has also been ordered. It is unfortunate that Sanjay Raut did not leave an opportunity to do politics even in this situation,” Navnath Ban said.