Kolkata: Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday demanded a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the plane crash that resulted in the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and five others, raising questions on the credibility of the current investigative agencies.
Speaking to the media, in Kolkata before leaving for Singur in Hooghly, Banerjee said that the truth will be unearthed only if the Supreme Court-monitored probe is carried out. She claimed that Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) was supposed to quit the NDA and join the India Bloc. Banerjee postponed her Delhi tour on Wednesday, after Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died in the plane crash.
“Somebody from another party had said that Ajit Pawar would leave the BJP. Now look at what has happened today. I want a proper investigation under the monitoring of the Supreme Court. There is no safety or security in this country, even for political leaders. Even those who are part of the ruling establishment today do not seem to be safe,” Banerjee said adding: “He was supposed to join back — I had seen that — so how did this crash happen?”
She added: “We trust only the Supreme Court. All other agencies have been completely compromised.” Banerjee in social media on Wednesday morning expressed shock over the death of Ajit Pawar.
“Deeply shocked and stunned by the sudden demise of Ajit Pawar! The Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and his co-passengers have died in a disastrous plane crash at Baramati today morning, and I am feeling a deep sense of loss. My condolences to his family including his uncle Sharad Pawar ji, and late Ajitji’s all friends and followers. The incident needs proper investigation,” Banerjee posted on X.
Pawar, 66, and four others were killed when a business jet carrying them crash-landed at Baramati airport in Pune district on Wednesday morning, officials said. The Learjet 46, operated by Delhi-based VSR Ventures, was flying from Mumbai to Baramati when it went off the runway during landing and burst into flames.
Ajit Pawar was part of the NDA government in Maharashtra after breaking away from the Sharad Pawar-led NCP. The two NCP factions had recently joined hands for civic body polls in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, but got little success.