Sangram Jagtap (L), Ajit Pawar.
Credit: X/@sangrambhaiya
Mumbai: Days after the Ajit Pawar-led reiterated the ideology of ‘Shiv-Shahu-Phule-Ambedkar’ at a grand brain-storming session in Nagpur, an MLA of his party sparked off a controversy by asking people do Diwali shopping from shops and establishments owned by Hindus.
A rattled Pawar, the deputy chief minister and NCP national president, has issued show cause notice to Sangram Jagtap, who is a three-term MLA from Ahmednagar City seat of the Ahilyanagar district.
Jagtap is son of late politician and two-time MLC Arun Jagtap, who was considered close to NCP founder and now NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar.
Incidentally, Jagtap is son in law of BJP MLA Shivaji Kardile, who represents Rahuri.
“I am requesting all of you…please note…its our money, our purchases…during Diwali….ensure that you purchase from Hindus,” Jagtap said addressing a public meeting.
However, the speech of his own MLA had rattled Pawar, an eight-time MLA.
"This statement (by Jagtap) is completely wrong. When the party's policies and objectives have already been decided, no MLA should make such remarks. This is not acceptable to the party. We will send him a show-cause notice", Pawar told reporters.
"Till Arunkaka Jagtap (Sangram Jagtap's father) was alive, everything was fine in Ahilyanagar (formerly Ahmednagar). We are feeling an additional burden. Some individuals should remember that in the absence of patronage from their father, they should behave and talk responsibly," Pawar added.
In fact, on 19 September, the NCP, after the day-long Rashtravadi Chintan Shivir, had come out with the Nagpur Declaration, which stated: "The Constitution of India shall remain the supreme guiding principle for the Party’s direction and policy. The Party reiterates its allegiance to the values of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma Phule, Shahu Maharaj, and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar. The NCP commits itself to the upliftment of all communities of Maharashtra — Marathas, OBCs, Dalits, Dhangars, Adivasis, Muslims, Christians, Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists”.