NCP demands arrest of Raosaheb Danve over cow slaughter remarks

Mumbai: The Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has demanded that a case be filed against BJP leader and Union minister Raosaheb Danve for suggesting violation of laws.

NCP spokesperson and Mumbai NCP president Nawab Malik said that Mr Danve should be immediately arrested. “Mr Danve has played with people’s sentiments by suggesting that they violate laws. Therefore, the police should immediately register a case and arrest him,” he said.

A video of Mr Danve assuring Muslims that they need not worry about the ban on cow slaughter as long as he is minister went viral on social media. In the video, he is purportedly seen saying, “After the government implemented the ‘Govansh Hatya Bandi’ (ban on slaughter of cow progeny), some Muslims expressed concerns over its impact on their livelihood ahead of Bakri-Id. I told them they should not worry as long as I am there and that no one will stop them (from carrying on with cow slaughter).”

In his defence, Mr Danve issued a statement to the effect that the video is misleading and doctored by miscreants. “It has been brought to my notice that a video of my meeting in the Muslim area of Kathor Bazaar of Bhokardan, during the Maharashtra Assembly poll campaign, is being circulated on electronic media and other social media websites.”

“I would like to clarify that I have made no such comment regarding cow slaughter and the video that is being shared online is manipulated to convey a wrong message in society,” it said.

Meanwhile, a police complaint has been filed against Mr Danve over his alleged remarks on cow slaughter. The complainant Nitesh Oza said that his Hindu religious sentiments are hurt by Mr Danve’s purported rema-rks. Mr Oza has demanded that a FIR be registered against the minister.

Incidentally, Raosaheb Patil-Danve’s son, Santosh Danve is the BJP’s nominee for the Bhokardan Assembly seat.