Sanjay Raut claims he got ‘5-6 death threats’, calls them ‘government-sponsored’
Sanjay Raut, claims that the death threat received by NCP Chief Sharad Pawar was a 'government-sponsored threat' and that he had received similar threats. ‘There is an invisible force behind them’ Raut added.
PremiumMaharashtra MP Sanjay Raut on Friday claimed that the death threat received by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar was ‘government-sponsored threat’. The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader claimed that he had received ‘death threats at least 5-6 times in the last 7-8 months’.
Sanjay Raut, a vocal critic of the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and Devendra Fadnavis led Maharashtra government, said that he had earlier approached the Home Minister of Maharashtra and Chief Minister regarding the death threats he had received.
"I have received death threats 5-6 times in the last 7-8 months. I have also informed (Maharashtra) home minister and the chief minister about it. These are government-sponsored threats," says Shiv Sena (UBT) leader.
"There is an invisible force behind them which the 40 people (Sena MLAs including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde) used to call super power. It is destroying the state for political purposes," Raut said, a possible reference to the Bharatiya Janta Party.
After the incident was reported, Mumbai police detained two people for sendind death threats to Sanjay Raut. Mumbai Police officials have informed that interrogation of the two taken into custody is underway.
Raut's statements comes in the backdrop of 82 year old NCP chief Sharad Pawar receiving a message on Facebook threatening him with a fate similar to anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar, who was shot dead in Pune on 20 August 2013.
"The government should take it (threat calls to him and his brother) seriously and not me. The government wants such threats. The matter is with the police and they will have to look into it," he told reporters. "Sunil Raut received a threat. I didn't file any complaint. We are not worried about it," claimed Raut, who has received threats in the past as well.
Raut also said Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar getting a threat on social media was a serious issue, adding moves were afoot to instill fear in the opposition.
Meanwhile, NCP Chief Sharad Pawar commented on Sanjay Raut's claim that he too had received death threats. Pawar said that every citizen of this state has the right to express his view, hinting that fact that death threats were being issued to suppress opposition voices.
“Every citizen of this state has the right to express his view on any party as per the constitution, in such situations if someone thinks that he can shut the voice by threats then it's a misunderstanding. I have full faith in the system and the capabilities of the Police who are responsible to maintain law and order so I am not worried about it", NCP Chief Sharad Pawar said.
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