West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday spoke to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and expressed her support after the arrest of NCP leader and Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money-laundering probe linked to the activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and his aides.
The NCP, meanwhile, has lashed out at the BJP over Nawab Malik's arrest, saying this was another instance of "misuse of power" and a pressure tactic to silence his voice since he had exposed wrongdoings of some people.
The NCP chief said his party had anticipated such an action against Malik as he "speaks openly".
Pawar said, "Which case have they dug up? It is simple. They take the name of Dawood, especially if there is a Muslim activist (against whom a case is dug up). There is no relation (between the activist concerned and underworld), but it is done." Pawar recalled that he too was "targeted similarly" in the early 90s when he was the chief minister of Maharashtra and an atmosphere was created against him.
"Twenty-five years have passed since then. Similarly, names (of underworld) are being taken to defame people, trouble them and misuse the power.people who take positions against the Centre or the misuse of probe agencies are being troubled and this is what has happened here," he said.
NCP Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule said Maharashtra has never bowed down before the Centre and it never will.
She said it was unfortunate that the Centre was using its machinery against the BJP's political rivals in a "suppressive" manner.
Sule, who is the daughter of NCP chief Sharad Pawar, claimed the ED's notice is issued only to opposition leaders.
"Once you quit your own party and join them, then the notice disappears or goes into a shredder. We should know which shredder is this," she said sarcastically without taking any name.
Maharashtra NCP president and state minister Jayant Patil said this was another instance of "misuse of power".
"The ED reached his (Malik's) residence at 6 am without issuing any notice. The ED had brought with it its own police. Some people may be deliberately trying to trouble him," he claimed.
The Shiv Sena and Congress, which share power with the NCP in Maharashtra, also threw their weight behind 62-year-old Malik, saying they need to unitedly fight against the tactics to silence political opponents.
The BJP, however, said the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) action should not be called "vendetta politics" and if leaders of the ruling parties feel there is misuse of power, they can move court to seek justice.
(With PTI inputs)
