Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Shalini Thackeray took to X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday and demanded Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's resignation in connection with the suicide case of former Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Rajendra Hagawane's daughter-in-law, Vaishnavi (26).
This came after a picture of Pawar handing over the key of a Toyota Fortuner to Vaishnavi and her husband Shashank went viral on social media, drawing flak from all quarters.
Thackeray wrote, "While handing over the keys of the SUV as a dowry to the Hagawane family, did you forget that you are the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra? At a time when several dowry deaths are being reported in the state, and you have the responsibility to curb them, you are only promoting it. This is unbecoming of your position. I strongly condemn your actions. Take moral responsibility and resign. You are also responsible for Vaishnavi's death."
Meanwhile, Vaishnavi's parents have lodged a complaint against her in-laws under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) related to abetment to suicide and domestic violence.
An FIR has been registered against her husband Shashank, mother-in-law Lata, father-in-law Rajendra, sister-in-law Karishma, and brother-in-law Sushil. So far, the husband, mother-in-law, and sister-in-law of the victim have been arrested, while her father-in-law and brother-in-law are absconding.
In their complaint, Vaishnavi's parents alleged that during the wedding, they had given 51 tolas (595 gm) of gold, silver, and an SUV to her husband's family, but their daughter's in-laws were pressuring her to bring ₹2 crore more to purchase land. They also claimed their daughter was physically tortured before her death and alleged she may have been murdered.
Earlier in the day, the NCP expelled Rajendra Hagawane from the party, the party's Pune district NCP chief Shivaji Garje said in a statement.
