Baba Siddique shot dead: 'Justice must be ensured,' Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge condemns killing

Mallikarjun Kharge. File Pic

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge expressed his deepest condolences to the family of former minister and NCP leader Baba Siddique, who was killed by unidentified assailants on Saturday evening. Kharge demanded that the culprits be brought to justice as soon as possible.

Taking to X, Mallikarjun Kharge said, "The tragic demise of Former Maharashtra Minister, Shri Baba Siddique is shocking beyond words. In this hour of grief, I offer my deepest condolences to his family, friends and supporters. Justice must be ensured, and the present Maharashtra Govt must order a thorough and transparent investigation. The culprits must be brought to book at the earliest. Accountability is paramount."

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole called the incident unfortunate. "This is an unfortunate incident. This is a result of the support the Maharashtra government gives to criminals. It is clear that a person like Baba Siddique is also not safe in Maharashtra," he said while speaking to ANI.

Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Maharashtra Assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar, called for an investigation into the incident, saying, "This is a very sad incident. He (Siddique) was part of Congress for a long time and a popular leader in Maharashtra. It should be investigated who is behind this. This only indicates that there is no law and order in the state."

Congress leader Pawan Khera, in a self-made video, said, "It is unbelievable that he is no more. It is hard to believe that such a senior politician was murdered in the middle of Mumbai. I hope God will give strength to his family." AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi stated that Baba Siddique's murder shows the deteriorating state of law and order in Maharashtra.

"Truly devastating news of two deaths on the same day. Baba Siddique's murder is highly condemnable. It reflects the deteriorating state of law & order in Maharashtra. May Allah grant him maghfirah. My condolences to his family, friends & colleagues," Owiais wrote in a post on X.

AIMIM leader Waris Pathan expressed his grief, saying, "It is a very unfortunate incident and a personal loss for me, as he was a very close friend. It is a total failure of the government; they cannot provide security to their own person. What security is there for the opposition?"

Congress leader Imran Pratapgarhi questioned the Maharashtra government over the NCP leader's death, saying, "This incident is very shocking that in a metropolis like Mumbai, a leader connected to the government is murdered. If the government is unable to keep its leaders safe, then who is safe in Mumbai and Maharashtra? We are very shocked."

Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi told reporters, "It will be clear after inquiry who these contract killers were and who sent them. This is a failure of law and order. I do not think this is political. I do not think he had any political rivals."

Siddique, a three-time MLA from Bandra West, had joined Ajit Pawar's NCP earlier in February this year after resigning from the Congress. He was shot dead by unidentified attackers in Mumbai on Saturday evening. Mumbai Additional CP Paramjit Singh Dahiya confirmed the arrest of two suspects.

"The incident occurred around 9:30 pm in Nirmal Nagar. Baba Siddique was taken to Lilavati Hospital after being shot. Two suspects have been arrested, and the Mumbai Crime Branch is investigating the case," Dahiya told reporters. Mumbai Police said that they recovered the weapon used in the crime. "A 9.9mm pistol was used in the firing," officials said.

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