Baba Siddique Murder News: Former Maharashtra minister, Baba Siddique, who was shot dead in Mumbai on Saturday, was a popular figure in Bollywood circles, apart from being a prominent politician.
A prominent Muslim leader from Mumbai, Siddique was also known to be close to many Bollywood stars, including Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Sanjay Dutt.
Siddique was often captured with the crème de la crème of Bollywood in iftar gatherings. At one such party in 2013, Siddiqui reportedly played a pivotal role in ending the most infamous celebrity feud in the entertainment world – Shah Rukh Khan vs Salman Khan.
The rift between the two Khans had begun in 2008 after an argument at actor Katrina Kaif's birthday bash. The two actors had avoided each other for nearly five years due to the feud.
The feud finally ended at Siddique's ritualistic iftar party on April 17, 2013. Siddique was then Congress MLA from Bandra West constituency. At the gathering, Siddique is said to have strategically seated Shah Rukh Khan next to Salim Khan, Salman Khan's father. This was done to ensure the two stars coming face-to-face.
As planned, Shah Rukh and Salman greeted and hugged each other. The moment was captured in cameras and it became a thing on the internet, marking the beginning of the end of their long-standing feud.
Who was Baba Siddique?
Siddique represented Bandra (West) seat three times – 1999, 2004 and 2009 – in the Maharashtra assembly as a Congress MLA. His son Zeeshan Siddique is the Congress MLA from Mumbai.
While quitting the Congress to join the NCP in February this year, Siddique did not cite any reason for his decision to leave the Grand Old Party, only stating “some things are better left unsaid.”
Siddique has been a minister of state for food and civil supplies, labour and FDA in the state government (2004-08), and was also a municipal corporator for two consecutive terms. He has also served as the chairperson and senior vice-president of the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee and parliamentary board member of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee.
Siddique was waylaid by three men at Kher Nagar in Mumbai just outside his son’s office around 9.30 pm on Saturday and shot at. He was taken to Lilavati Hospital, where he was declared dead.
