After urging Hindus to buy only from Hindu shops, NCP leader calls those who abuse Hindu women ‘jihadis’
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A week after urging all Hindus to make their Diwali purchases only from Hindu shops and demanding that all illegal worship places of Muslims be demolished, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Sangram Jagtap, who was served a show-cause notice for the same by the party leadership, again spat communal venom by calling those who abuse Hindu women ‘jihadis’.
Jagtap made these allegations during a rally organised under the banner of the ‘Jankrosh Morcha’ in Ghargaon village of Sangamner taluka, which was convened to protest the alleged assault on a tribal woman, and he further accused certain members of the Muslim community of facilitating crimes by obtaining women’s mobile numbers under the pretext of giving away bakery products, The Indian Express reported.
The statements by Jagtap have once again sparked controversy as they come shortly after NCP chief and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar had criticised his earlier remarks as unacceptable to the party and issued a show-cause notice, while Jagtap defended himself by citing a past incident in which leaflets had circulated urging the Muslim community to make Eid purchases only from Muslim-owned shops.
Muslim activists have clarified that the incident cited by Jagtap occurred four years ago and involved a person against whom the police had already taken legal action, raising questions about the motives behind reviving the old case.
The renewed communal rhetoric has drawn sharp criticism from within and outside the NCP, with party leaders and opposition figures expressing concerns that Jagtap’s actions are designed to deepen communal divides, while some NCP sources have indicated that he is unlikely to face strict action as his activities may align with broader political strategies involving both the NCP and the BJP.
State NCP president Sunil Tatkare stated that the party is reviewing the matter, but other leaders, including NCP (SP) chief Supriya Sule, have urged the party to take decisive action against Jagtap, warning that his statements violate the Constitution and inflame tensions between communities.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Congress has expressed scepticism over the NCP’s willingness to discipline Jagtap, asserting that any action would be largely symbolic and that the BJP-NCP alignment at the local level may be motivating the MLA’s repeated communal remarks.
Speculation has also emerged that Jagtap may eventually join the BJP and contest the 2029 Assembly elections on its ticket, although BJP leaders have declined to comment on hypothetical scenarios, emphasising that local electoral equations play a significant role in such political manoeuvres.