Following the murder of Baba Siddique, a prominent leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the party, led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, has held the home department, headed by Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, responsible for the “dangerous security situation prevalent in Mumbai”. Baba Siddique was shot dead by three assailants outside his MLA son’s office in Mumbai on Saturday evening.

According to Amol Mitkari, NCP’s chief spokesperson, Siddique had received a threat call about 15 days before his death and had sought police protection, which he was allegedly not provided. “This is the second murder of an NCP leader in Maharashtra. Baba Siddique was a top leader… He was not provided security, which led to his death,” Mitkari said, as quoted by Indian Express.

Mitkari criticised the state’s home department, calling the murder a severe blow to the party. “The murder highlights the dangerous security situation prevalent in Mumbai. We can understand if such a thing happened to an ordinary man… But that a former minister was killed shows the failure of the state home department,” he added, as per IE’s report.

He also mentioned that Ajit Pawar, the NCP’s national president, had lost a close confidant in Siddique, who was known for his connections with Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan’s families. “Salman Khan had also received a threat from the Bishnoi gang, which the police are probing,” Mitkari noted.

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Baba Siddique Murder: Oppn Demands Accountability From Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Sharad Pawar Calls For Resignations

In a further attack, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar also criticised Fadnavis over the incident demanding that the Maharashtra ministers resign. “The collapsed law and order situation in the state is a matter of concern. The shooting of former state minister Baba Siddique in the country’s financial capital, Mumbai, is regrettable. If the Home Minister and those in power continue to govern the state with such leniency, it could become a warning bell for the common people. It is not enough to merely conduct an inquiry; those in power need to take responsibility and step down from their positions. I extend my heartfelt tributes to Baba Siddique and express my condolences to his family,” Sharad Pawar asserted in a post on X after Siddique’s murder.

राज्याची कोलमडलेली कायदा सुव्यवस्था चिंता वाढवणारी आहे. देशाच्या आर्थिक राजधानी मुंबईत माजी राज्यमंत्री बाबा सिद्दिकी यांच्यावर झालेला गोळीबार खेदजनक आहे. गृहमंत्री आणि सत्ताधारी एवढ्या सौम्यतेने राज्याचा गाडा हाकणार असतील तर सामान्य जनतेसाठी धोक्याची घंटा ठरू शकते. याची केवळ…

— Sharad Pawar (@PawarSpeaks) October 12, 2024

The murder has also drawn reactions from other opposition parties. Maharashtra Assembly Leader of Opposition (LoP) Vijay Wadettiwar told news agency ANI, “The government policies cannot be trusted. They don’t even trust each other. Law and order in the state has collapsed. The state Home Minister needs to be held accountable… The conspiracy behind this act will be uncovered after due investigation but it will take time.”

#WATCH | Mumbai | Baba Siddique Murder case | Maharashtra Assembly LoP Vijay Wadettiwar says, “… The government policies cannot be trusted… Law and order in the state has collapsed. The state Home Minister needs to be held accountable… The conspiracy behind this act will be… pic.twitter.com/ModYPavoqr

— ANI (@ANI) October 13, 2024

Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan questioned the handling of security threats to Siddique, stating, “Is this an extortion murder? Did he get death threats or not? If yes, why was he not given proper security? This is a very serious matter. What kind of law and order is there in the state? Law and order has collapsed…”

#WATCH | Mumbai, Maharashtra | Baba Siddique Murder | Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan says, “Is this an extortion murder? Did he get death threats or not? If yes, why was he not given proper security? This is a very serious matter. What kind of law and order is there in the… pic.twitter.com/E0xc3OSSTw

— ANI (@ANI) October 13, 2024

The incident has led to heightened scrutiny of the law and order situation in Maharashtra, with calls for accountability from various political quarters. The ongoing investigation is expected to shed light on the circumstances leading up to Siddique’s death.