Mumbai: Former Maharashtra Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction) Baba Siddique was shot dead by three men in Mumbai's Bandra area on Saturday, sparking an outpouring of condolences and criticism for the Mahayuti government. The shocking incident prompted the Opposition to question the law and order situation in the state where assembly elections are expected to be held next month.
Two persons were arrested immediately after the incident that took place outside his MLA son Zeeshan Siddiqui's office near Colgate ground in Nirmal Nagar, according to officials while the third assailant was identified. Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar described the attack as extremely unfortunate and condemnable.
"I was shocked on learning that he died in this incident," Pawar said, adding that he had lost a good friend and colleague. "We have lost a leader who fought for the minority community and championed secularism," he added, promising that a thorough probe would be conducted into the attack of the veteran leader.
What was Baba Siddique's last social media post?
Two days before his shocking murder, the former minister had posted a heartfelt tribute on Instagram to the late industrialist Ratan Tata, who passed away on October 9 at the age of 86. Siddique called Ratan Tata's demise as the "End of an Era".
According to police, Baba Siddique was shot with three to four bullets, however, a clear picture will only emerge after the post-mortem. His body has been shifted to Cooper Hospital, where the post-mortem will be done. The arrested accused have been identified as Karnail Singh, hailing from Haryana and Dharmaraj Kashyap from Uttar Pradesh. Both have claimed to be members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
Baba Siddiqui was not only dominant in the political world but also in the realm of cinema. As soon as the news of the death of the veteran politician was received, many Bollywood celebrities and politicians reached Lilavati Hospital, where Baba Siddiqui was admitted after being shot. Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt was also spotted outside Lilavati Hospital. Apart from this, superstar Salman Khan also reached the hospital as soon as the news of Baba Siddiqui being shot was received.
Opposition slams ruling Mahayuti government
The murder also triggered a wave of criticism from the opposition parties, who targeted the ruling Mahayuti alliance over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar launched an attack on the state government over the gruesome killing of Baba Siddique. Speaking about the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, the NCP (SP) chief demanded the resignation of those in power following the leader's murder.
"The state's collapsed law and order situation is a cause for concern. The shooting of former state minister Baba Siddique in Mumbai, the financial capital of the country, is regrettable. If the Home Minister and the rulers are going to handle the state's affairs so mildly, it could be an alarm bell for the common people. There is a need not only to investigate this but also for those responsible to accept accountability and step down from their positions. A heartfelt tribute to Baba Siddique. Condolences to his family," he added.
Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader and LoP Lok Sabha on Sunday attacked the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra after Siddique's murder. "The tragic demise of Baba Siddique ji is shocking and saddening. My thoughts are with his family in this difficult time. This horrifying incident exposes the complete collapse of law and order in Maharashtra. The government must take responsibility, and justice must prevail," Gandhi said in an X post.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also targeted the state government, questioning the law and order situation in Maharashtra. Kharge, in a post on X, said, "The tragic demise of Former Maharashtra Minister Baba Siddique is shocking beyond words. In this hour of grief, I offer my deepest condolences to his family, friends, and supporters. Justice must be ensured, and the present Maharashtra Government must order a thorough and transparent investigation." He added, "The culprits must be brought to book at the earliest. Accountability is paramount."
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