Baba Siddique murder: Ahead of Maharashtra polls, the murder of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and three-time MLA Baba Siddique has ignited a fierce political row, with opposition leaders demanding the resignation of Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Siddique was gunned down by three men in Bandra East on Saturday evening, a day when Mumbai police were already on high alert due to two Dussehra rallies by Shiv Sena. According to the police, the assailants fired 6-7 shots at Siddique as he was leaving his son’s office and getting into his car. Two bullets struck his chest, while another hit his abdomen.

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NCP chief Sharad Pawar, also a former Chief Minister, expressed deep concern over the deteriorating law and order in the state, calling on the government to take responsibility.

Taking to his official handle on X, he wrote, “If the Home Minister and the rulers are going to push the cart of the state so mildly, it can be an alarm bell for the common people. There is a need not only to investigate this, but also to accept the responsibility and step down from the position of the rulers.”

Reacting to the incident, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge extended his heartfelt condolences to Siddique’s family, urging authorities to ensure that those responsible are swiftly brought to justice.

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In a post on X, Kharge wrote, “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.”

Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also shared his views on the incident, describing it as a ‘collapse of law and order’ in the state. “The tragic demise of Baba Siddique ji is shocking and saddening. My thoughts are with his family in this difficult time,” he said. This horrifying incident exposes the complete collapse of law and order in Maharashtra. The government must take responsibility, and justice must prevail, he added in his post on X.

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar said, “It is unfortunate that former minister Baba Siddique was shot dead despite giving Y-level security. We have been warning about the growing criminal activities in Mumbai but those were not taken seriously. Mumbai was silent but such incidents are growing. This government has been supporting criminals and we demand that a detailed probe should be conducted.”

Baramati MP Supriya Sule also condemned the murder, calling it unacceptable, while criticising the government for the deteriorating law-and-order situation in Maharashtra. “Shocking news! Baba Siddique is no more. Reportedly he was shot dead. This is absolutely unacceptable, when a member of the ruling govt alliance is unsafe & killed in his own son’s office that too in Mumbai, it speaks volumes about the law and order state in Maharashtra,” she said.