ON FEBRUARY 8, social worker Mauris Noronha shot dead former Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator Abhishek Ghosalkar during a Facebook Live session. The murder, and the viral video of the crime, sent shockwaves across Maharashtra.
The opposition alleged that law and order in the state had collapsed. It flayed the state government led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and demanded the resignation of Devendra Fadnavis, Shinde’s deputy and home minister. Fadnavis said Noronha had shot Ghosalkar, and then killed himself, because of personal rivalry. Noronha apparently believed that Ghosalkar was behind a rape case filed against him, and that he was trying to sabotage his political plans. “The opposition can demand anything,” said Fadnavis. “Even if a car runs over a dog tomorrow, they would ask the home minister to resign.”
Another violent incident had stunned the state just a few days before the Ghosalkar killing. BJP legislator Ganpat Gaikwad was arrested for allegedly firing at Mahesh Gaikwad, a former corporator of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, at a police station in Thane district. The firing allegedly happened in the chamber of the police inspector at Ulhasnagar. Mahesh is in hospital fighting for his life.
Ganpat told journalists that he felt no remorse. “The chief minister has the state under goonda raj (mob rule),” he said. A three-time legislator whose own record is dubious, Gaikwad is a known rival of Shinde’s Sena in Thane district.
Political leaders courting criminals is an old phenomenon. In fact, the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance had first come to power in Maharashtra in 1995 after a sustained campaign against former chief minister Sharad Pawar’s alleged criminalisation of politics in the 1990s. So, what has changed in the past three decades?
この記事は THE WEEK India の February 25, 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は THE WEEK India の February 25, 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Stop ruling; start governing
In every election the voters elect a government.
HEALING THE EARTH
Land Restoration for a Drought-Resilient Future
Speak of the nawab
For Heeramandi's male lead, Taha Shah, the road to success was paved with flops
Northern delights
Four Kashmiri fashion labels that want to put the troubled region on the international style map
WOOING THE WAVES
India is developing strategic ports overseas and is exploring new oceanic trade routes to pursue its growing geopolitical objectives
TIPU, SULTAN!
In his first major election after the death of Mulayam Singh Yadav, Akhilesh humbles the BJP and proves he is his own man
A SLEEPER HIT
Naidu’s stunning victory raises questions about the vote-catching power of welfare schemes
SWEEPING LOSS
AAP’s disappointing performance has put a question mark on its relevance in the INDIA bloc
INDEPENDENTS' DAY
The Lok Sabha results in Baramulla and Ladakh reflect a churning among voters
Voters have changed, and we have benefited
In March 2022, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu asked a quirky question to actor-MP Suresh Gopi, who had come to the Rajya Sabha with a distinctive look.
