Nagpur: Independent MLA from Ramtek, Ashish Jaiswal, who has declared support to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena to become a part of the Mahayuti, on Thursday defended the alliance in the Rashmi Barve caste certificate cancellation case. “The Mahayuti had no role in the cancellation of Barve’s caste certificate,” he claimed in a press conference here.
Addressing the media at the Press Club, Jaiswal sought to clarify that the Mahayuti had nothing to do with the entire episode of Barve’s caste validation certificate being cancelled. The decision on her caste certificate was taken following a report from the caste verification committee, he said. Jaiswal also claimed that Barve was born and brought-up in Madhya Pradesh and her native village was Hiwarasenadwar of Pandhurna district in Madhya Pradesh. “She had produced forged documents claiming to be a native of Maharashtra since 1950, however, her contention was proved to be wrong on the basis of the documents and hence the caste scrutiny committee cancelled her claim,” he said.
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Monday 04 Nov. 2024
The complainant Sunil Salve is neither connected to BJP nor Mahayuti partners, he said adding that Barve and her supporters were spreading rumours to the effect that her candidature was cancelled at the behest of the Mahayuti. Jaiswal said that Salve was an RTI activist and not connected with any political party.
He said that the High Court had refused to grant stay to the rejection of Barve’s candidate by the election officer and hence she was misleading voters by blaming the BJP and Shiv Sena leaders. People are mature enough to see that she was not the only one whose caste claim was cancelled by the caste scrutiny committee. There are many other members of Panchayat Samiti who won the elections but were disqualified after their caste claim was rejected, he added.
Jaiswal said that Barve was counting on the sympathy of voters for her husband who is now contesting in her place in Ramtek Lok Sabha seat. When pointed out that there were serious offenses registered against Congress candidate Shyamkumar Barve, he said that the voters have to decide whom they want to send to the Parliament as their representative. People have to decide whether they elect a candidate having a criminal background or a candidate having a clean image, Jaiswal quipped.
BJP’s Rural Unit President Sudhakar Kohale and Chandan Goswami were present in the press conference.
