Would've been lynched if from another community: Sanjay Raut on BJP leader’s son eating beef

“Had he been from another community, he would have been subjected to mob lynching by the BJP," said Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, alleging that Sanket Bawankule, son of a BJP leader, had ordered a beef cutlet from a Nagpur bar before his Audi car was involved in an accident in which several vehicles were damaged, to ridicule the BJP’s fake Hindutva claim.

Sanket Bawankule is the son of Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule. Although the driver was arrested, Raut criticised the BJP for not taking further action against Sanket and other occupants of the vehicle, stating that no alcohol test was conducted, and the car's number was omitted from the FIR.

He also accused the BJP leadership of protecting their own while unfairly targeting opposition leaders, linking this to Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ alleged misuse of power.

According to Raut, Fadnavis, who also holds the Home Minister portfolio, has failed in his responsibilities and is focused on politically motivated actions, especially against figures like former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh, who faces legal challenges from a case reopened after four years.

The BJP has dismissed Raut's claims as politically motivated and baseless, asserting that the police are handling the accident case impartially and that Sanket’s involvement is not being ignored. This back-and-forth between the Shiv Sena and BJP highlights ongoing tensions between the ruling party and the opposition in Maharashtra, with allegations of selective law enforcement adding further fuel to the political conflict.