The Beed Controversy: A War Of Violent Videos Plays Out On TV Screens In Maharashtra

In Maharashtra, TV news channels are playing violent videos of men being bashed, either by the supporters of local Beed BJP legislator Suresh Dhas or from those opposing him. One of Dhas’s supporters was also seen showering stacks of currency notes from his car apart from stocking deer meat. Other videos showed men being bashed up with cricket bats. The videos started emerging after the resignation of Ajit Pawar aide minister Dhananjay Munde following videos of his supporters urinating over an almost-dead Santosh Deshmukh and even clicking selfies with his body. After the resignation of Munde, the law and order situation in Beed was expected to subside. Instead, a war of violent videos of party workers bashing individuals to prove which group is more cruel has started doing the rounds on social media and TV channels. Pankaja Munde has suggested a link between these allegations of violence since her rise as a minister. Pankaja has publicly claimed that she had complained to her party bosses about the way her home district was deliberately being kept on the boil, despite assurances. The Beed drama has now shifted from an inter-coalition campaign to a campaign against one from within the BJP with factionalism clearly out in the open. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis who is believed to have unleashed his party MLA Dhas initially against Munde seems to have clearly shifted his target within his own party too. Dhas has accused Pankaja of siding with an independent candidate in the recent elections. Pankaja, recently shared stage with Sharad Pawar and his family at a Pawar-hosted event at Baramati, where she publicly praised him.