Ex-HM Deshmukh’s supporters observe ‘Black Diwali’ at 18 places

Nagpur: Supporters of former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh on Friday observed ‘Kali (black) Diwali’ and staged ‘rasta roko’ (traffic blockade) at 18 places in Katol assembly constituency to protest the senior NCP leader’s arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) earlier this week in a money laundering case.
According to party colleagues, there is a sympathy wave across the constituency for Deshmukh and his family.
The agitations and solidarity drives like ‘Aamhi sahebanchya sobat’ (am by the side of the leader) had started immediately after former Mumbai CP Param Bir Singh stated before a one-member committee that he had no other additional proof apart from the first letter of complaint against the minister.
The protest is gradually intensifying in the constituency represented by the ex-minister five times. According to party colleagues, Deshmukh had planned several development works for Nagpur district that would have boosted Vidarbha’s economy but “those projects have no future now”.
It’s learnt, Deshmukh loyalists at around 70 panchayat samitis in Katol taluka and two municipal councils at Narkhed and Mowad too had participated in the protests.
According to Narkhed town NCP president Sanjay Charde, this was the first time in more than three decades when “Saheb” was not present at his native place Wadwihira in Narkhed taluka for Diwali. “We wore black badges and participated in demonstration at Gandhi Chowk and Vyapari line in Narkhed against the harassment meted out to our leader ( Deshmukh) and his family members by central agencies like ED, CBI and I-T department at the behest of BJP,” he said.
"The development activities which was initiated by our minister now are on the backburners. After all, Vidarbha and especially Nagpur region felt the brunt of the injustice meted out to Deshmukh and his family," said Charde.
In Katol, the agitation had kicked-started on the next day of Deshmukh’s arrest.
According to former vice-president of Katol Panchayat Samiti, Anup Kharade, protests were held at 58 villages, followed by similar agitation in another 33 villages. “People from at least 20 villages joined the ‘Aamhi sahebanchya sobat' drive in Katol taluka,” said Kharade.
“With due respect for the courts and the agencies, this type of politically motivated witch-hunting shows our democracy in poor light,” said Kharade while warning that the agitation will intensify soon.
Narkhed’s NCP leader Arsade said that at Jalalkheda, Bharsingi, Belona, Devgram, Sawargaon, Bishnoor and other smaller villages demonstrations were staged at local level. “The protests were peaceful. Social media platform was used extensively,” said the NCP leader.