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Nationalist Congress Party chief Ajit Pawar on Saturday said that he had gone through all the inquiries made by state and central agencies over the alleged Rs 70,000 crore irrigation scam.
the NCP chief's comment came after Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh called for an investigation while accusing Bharatiya Janata Party of using "coercion and blackmail" to bring the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Pawar to the NDA fold. "Allegations were put against me in 2010, it has been 14 years since then. I have gone through all the inquiries. I have gone through ACP, Departmental, ED, and Income tax inquiries. All the central and state agencies who have the authority inquired me," Pawar said. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, taking to X, said that Ajit Pawar has confirmed that the BJP used blackmail and coercion to bring him to NDA. He demanded an immediate investigation. "The BJP's washing machine is an all-India phenomenon, but perhaps nowhere was it more powerful than in Maharashtra. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has now confirmed that blackmail and coercion surrounding these charges were used by the BJP to bring him over to the NDA," Jairam Ramesh wrote on X. Ramesh added that when the allegations were made against Ajit Pawar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself led the charge. He emphasised on Pawar's recent disclosure that after Devendra Fadnavis became CM, he presented a file recommending an open inquiry into the alleged irrigation scam against the NCP chief. "Ajit Pawar has now revealed that after becoming CM, Devendra Fadnavis showed him a file recommending an open inquiry against Ajit Pawar in the alleged irrigation scam. One can only imagine the threat that was implicit in this move: submit to us, or face action," Ramesh wrote on X. Emphasising on the seriousness of the matter, Ramesh claimed that BJP 'breached' the oath of confidentiality and the Official Secrets Act. "This is a serious matter, since it also involves not just the use of coercion and blackmail, but also breach of the oath of confidentiality and the Official Secrets Act. An investigation should be conducted into this matter," Ramesh wrote. Earlier on Sept 29, while addressing a gathering in Sangli, Pawar revealed that Devendra Fadnavis showed him the file related to the irrigation scam and blamed former Home Minister late RR Patil for betraying him by ordering an open inquiry into the alleged scam. " A file was prepared which was sent to the home department and this person (RR Patil ) had signed that file saying to make an open enquiry against Ajit Pawar... This is nothing but backstabbing and betrayal," Pawar said. "In 2014, Devendra Fadnavis-led government came into power.. One day, he invited me to his home and showed me a file that was pending for the Chief Minister's signature. Previously, this file had been signed by our Home Minister, RR Patil, initiating an open inquiry into the scam. I personally saw that (RR Patil's) signature and felt very disappointed. The colleague whom I had supported so much had done this to me," Pawar said. Ajit Pawar is contesting the election from his bastion Baramati but is being challenged by his own nephew Yugendra Pawar. (ANI)
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