Like Beed, Unnecessary Arms Licences Will Be Cancelled in Pune: Ajit Pawar

(by our correspondent)

Mumbai: In line with the decision to cancel unnecessary weapon licences in Maharashtra’s Beed district, similar steps will be taken in Pune district, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said on Friday. He also said that there is no hurry for seat sharing in forthcoming local body polls. Earlier, the police had carried out an exercise to scrutinise all weapon licences issued in Beed district and verify every case to ascertain if the holder had a legitimate need for a firearm. The move was seen as the fallout of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh’s murder.

Pawar, who is the guardian minister of both Pune and Beed districts, told reporters here that the Beed administration has cancelled a few licences in the district. “Similar steps will be taken in Pune and orders for the same have been given,” he said.

Arms licences in the Pune district came under the spotlight recently after it emerged that such weapon licences were issued to persons linked to the Vaishnavi Hagawane suicide case. Vaishnavi (26) allegedly committed suicide in Pune on May 16, with her family alleging that her in-laws tortured her for dowry. Her father-in-law Rajendra Hagawane was subsequently expelled from the ruling Nationalist Congress Party.
When asked about the potential tie-up between Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and the Shiv Sena (UBT), led by Uddhav Thackeray, Pawar said, “Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray head their respective parties. It’s their right to make any decision concerning the parties. What’s the use of you and me thinking about it?” The politically estranged Thackeray cousins have sparked buzz about a possible MNS-Sena (UBT) alliance with their recent remarks.

To a question about contesting the upcoming local body polls in the state, “There’s no need to hurry. Our three parties (BJP, NCP and Shiv Sena) will sit together and decide Mahayuti’s strategy. Currently, everyone is focused on strengthening their respective party.”