Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief spokesperson and Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik on Wednesday said party president Sharad Pawar will appear before the Bhima-Koregaon Commission of Inquiry in Mumbai on April 4 after the Parliament session ends.
Mr. Malik said, “The commission had asked Mr. Pawar for a convenient date for appearing before it. Accordingly, he will appear before the panel on April 4 as the Parliament session would be over by then.” The sittings of the panel have been shifted from Pune to Mumbai in view of the rise in novel coronavirus cases in Pune.
“We have been maintaining from day one that the violence was pre-planned. Mr. Pawar will put forth his stand before the commission,” Mr. Malik said.
The NCP chief had filed an affidavit before the panel headed by former Bombay High Court Chief Justice J.N. Patel on October 8, 2018.
Last month, Sagar Shinde, a member of Vivek Vichar Manch, had filed an application before the commission seeking to serve a summons on Mr. Pawar over certain statements made by him in the media on the January 2018 violence in Bhima-Koregaon.
In his plea, the applicant had cited a press conference Mr. Pawar had held on February 18. As per his application, at the press meet, Mr. Pawar alleged that right-wing activists Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide had created a charged atmosphere in Bhima-Koregaon.
“In the same press conference, Mr. Pawar also alleged that the role played by the Pune city police commissioner is doubtful and must be investigated. These statements are within the purview of the terms of reference of this commission and therefore they are relevant,” Mr. Shinde said.
In his affidavit, Mr. Pawar had stated that it was unfortunate that the former State government led by Bharatiya Janata Party and the law enforcement authorities had failed to protect the interests of commoners residing in Bhima-Koregaon.
“I would not be in a position to factually point out the chronology of the said events as that would be the domain of the existing law and order machinery,” he had said, adding that he would not be in a position to specifically make allegations against any particular organisation.
Mr. Pawar had mentioned the active role of right-wing forces behind the violence at Bhima-Koregaon cannot be ruled out. “However, concrete evidence in this regard can be gathered only by law enforcement agencies of the State government,” he had said in the affidavit.
Last month, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government gave the commission a final extension till April 8 to submit its investigation report.
