Will BJP also induct Dawood Ibrahim, Sapkal asks party over ex-Sena (UBT) leader Badgujar’s entry

MUMBAI, Jun 17: Maharashtra Congress President Harshawardhan Sapkal on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the BJP over the induction of former Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders, asking whether the ruling party would also induct fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim into its fold.
Dubbing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a “political washing machine”, he alleged that it was filled with goons, criminals and corrupt people.
Earlier in the day, former Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Sudhakar Badgujar and Babanrao Gholap joined the ruling BJP here even as BJP MLA Seema Hiray strongly opposed Badgujar’s entry.
Badgujar, once considered close to Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, was targeted by the BJP last year after a video purportedly showed him dancing with Saleem ‘Kutta’, an accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.
Talking to reporters here, Sapkal said, “BJP claims to be the world’s largest political party and boasts of its strength, yet it has opened its doors to anyone and everyone. Those whom the BJP accused of corruption have now been welcomed into the party and even given ministerial berths.”
“Now, even individuals accused of links with mafia don Dawood Ibrahim are being inducted with honour. Should we now expect the BJP to induct Dawood himself?” he asked.
Sapkal said BJP MLA and now minister Nitesh Rane had once made serious allegations in the state assembly that Nashik’s Sudhakar Badgujar hosted a party for Dawood’s associate, Salim Kutta, and even presented photographs as evidence.
“Today, the same Badgujar has been inducted into the BJP, and the party says he has accepted Hindutva, so he is welcome. Does this mean tomorrow Dawood will also be forgiven if he claims allegiance to Hindutva?” he said.
The Maharashtra Congress chief accused the BJP of hypocrisy, saying, “The party that once called itself a ‘party with a difference’ is now filled with goons, criminals and corrupt individuals. The BJP’s version of Hindutva is fake and opportunistic.”
He also said Praful Patel, a former Union minister and senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader, was once under scrutiny for alleged property dealings involving Dawood Ibrahim’s aide Iqbal Mirchi.
“Despite this, BJP is sharing power with Patel’s faction and giving him a clean chit through its political washing machine,” Sapkal said.
He said the BJP’s state president and working president were unaware of Badgujar’s induction till afternoon. “Yet they were forced to attend his induction ceremony. This raises a serious question – who is actually running the BJP?” he said. (PTI)

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