The recent murder of Baba Siddiqui has sparked concerns about a possible resurgence of gang violence in the city. In this context, Prakash Ambedkar, the leader of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, has made bold allegations regarding Sharad Pawar. He is calling for the release of historical records to determine whether the central government allowed Pawar to meet with Dawood Ibrahim in Dubai during his time as Chief Minister. At a press conference in Mumbai, Ambedkar pointed out that Sharad Pawar was Chief Minister from 1988 to 1991 and traveled abroad during that period. He detailed that Pawar first went to London, then spent two days in California for a meeting.
Ambedkar insisted that the specifics of this meeting should be made public. Following this, Pawar allegedly met Dawood Ibrahim at the airport in Dubai, where Dawood reportedly gave him a gold necklace. Pawar returned to London that evening and came back to India two days later. Ambedkar emphasized that as Chief Minister, Pawar could not have traveled abroad without the central government's approval. He questioned whether the government sanctioned Pawar’s trips and meetings, particularly in California and with Dawood, and whether any reports from these meetings were submitted to the central government.
Ambedkar also touched on the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, suggesting that the central government supports Israel domestically while appearing to back Palestine internationally. He noted that during the time he referenced, Iran and Palestine were in discussions, and only a few Muslims in India were caught up in this situation. Given the current tensions with Israel, he expressed concern about potential reactions from India that need to be managed. He warned that contract killings seem to be resurging in Maharashtra, and the ongoing disputes involving Canada, the U.S., and India have placed Mumbai and Maharashtra in a vulnerable position. He called on the Nationalist Congress Party to clarify whether Sharad Pawar received permission for his meeting with Dawood.
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Ambedkar stressed that for peace to prevail in Maharashtra, voters should carefully consider which parties to support. He hinted at discussing more issues in the next press conference, emphasizing the need to maintain peace in Maharashtra and urging the central government and the NCP to address these concerns.Ambedkar expressed that politicians are making these statements with awareness of the upcoming elections, anticipating challenges ahead. He recalled how his grandfather, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, was not taken seriously by the central government in 1954, which contributed to the 1962 war. He cautioned that difficult times may lie ahead and that capable leaders must be in power to navigate these challenges, warning against a repeat of the chaos experienced in the 1990s and 2000s. He urged the BJP, which controls the Home Ministry at the central level, to release these historical records.
Given the current situation in India, he sees parallels to the 1990s. While incidents of bomb blasts and shootings had decreased, they have recently re-emerged, culminating in the murder of Baba Siddiqui. In light of this, Ambedkar stated that it is crucial to reflect on past events.