Leaders condole Ajit Pawar’s death
President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and leaders of various political parties on Wednesday condoled the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
“The news of the death of several people, including Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash in Baramati, Maharashtra, is extremely tragic. The untimely demise of Ajit Pawar ji is an irreparable loss,” the President wrote on social media.
Prime Minister Modi spoke to NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday and expressed condolences at the death of his nephew Ajit Pawar. Earlier, Modi remembered Ajit Pawar as a leader of the people with a strong grassroots-level connect and termed his death untimely and very shocking. “Shri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect,” PM Modi wrote on a social media.
“He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra. His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden were also noteworthy. His untimely demise is very shocking and saddening. Condolences to his family and countless admirers. Om Shanti,” the PM added
The prime minister said he was saddened by the tragic air crash in Maharashtra’s Baramati. “My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones in the crash. Praying for strength and courage for the bereaved families in this moment of profound grief,” he added.
In an apparent snub to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar said the plane crash involving his nephew Ajit and four others was an accident which shouldn’t be politicised. “A stand was floated from Kolkata that there is some politics involved in this incident. But there is nothing like this. There is no politics in it. It was an accident. I request not to bring politics into it,” he added.
Banerjee has demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the death of Ajit Pawar, alleging that “all other agencies” have been “completely compromised”. Addressing reporters, pawar said this loss is irreparable. “Not all things are in our hands,” he added.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said “Deeply shocked and pained to learn about the untimely demise of Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Throughout his long public life, he remained committed to the development and prosperity of Maharashtra,” in a social media post.
Home Minister Shah posted on social media, “The way Ajit Pawar ji dedicated himself to the welfare of every section of society in Maharashtra over the past three-and-a-half decades cannot be expressed in words.
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi expressed sorrow over the death of Ajit Pawar and four others who were on board the chartered flight from Mumbai to Baramati that crashed earlier in the day.
Paying his condolences, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said there should be a probe into the air crash in which Ajit Pawar and four others were killed.
