The Bharatiya Janata Party MLA had no remorse for allegedly shooting and injuring a leader of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena over a land dispute in Maharashtra’s Thane district and added that whatever he did was in self-defence.
A video has surfaced which shows the sequence of events where the BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad was seen firing at Mahesh Gaikwad, the Shiv Sena chief of Kalyan. Ganpat Gaikwad has been arrested. However, without any remorse, he said, "Yes, I shot (him) myself. I have no regrets. If my son is being beaten in front of the police inside the police station, what will I do,” asked Ganpat Gaikwad while talking to a news channel. He claimed that he fired five rounds." “I have no regrets at all. As a father, I can’t tolerate if someone beats up my child,” he added.
He also alleged that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is “trying to create a kingdom of criminals in Maharashtra”. BJP and Shinde-led Shiv Sena belong to the ruling coalition in Maharashtra. “If Eknath Shinde is the chief minister, only criminals will be born in Maharashtra. He has made a good person like me a criminal today,” he said and described his action as self-defence.
Besides Ganpat Gaikwad, the police have also arrested two others. They have been booked under Indian Penal Code sections, including 307 (attempt to murder) and 120B (criminal conspiracy), said an official.
The BJP MLA accused CM’s son and Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde of putting up boards and grabbing credit for the work done by him. “I had told my seniors many times that these people are indulging in violence against my leaders,” he said.
