BJP demands for Nawab Malik’s resignation after his detention

The Bharatiya Janata Party has demanded Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik's resignation and threatened protests if he does not do so within an hour of his detention in a money laundering case linked to wanted gangster Dawood Ibrahim.

Chandrakant Patil, the BJP's state chief, told the media, "we demand his resignation" and questioned the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance (formed by the NCP, the Shiv Sena, and the Congress).

"Nawab Malik has been arrested, he should resign now. We demand his resignation. If he doesn't, we will protest. How are they running the government?" he was quoted by news agency ANI.

"There is a long list of allegations against Maharashtra ministers,"he further said.

 "If he has done something suspicious, then it should be probed. There should not be a rush to stamp it as vendetta politics," BJP leader and former minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said.

Malik's NCP, on the other hand, has come out swinging in defense of his senior leader, calling the central agency's probing a "misuse of power" and a "pressure strategy" to quiet his voice.

Over the last three months, Malik, 62, has been a harsh critic of the BJP, with daily attacks on the Narcotics Control Bureau as it dealt with the high-profile Aryan Khan case and charges that the opposition party was using federal agencies to threaten its opponents making headlines.

Sharad Pawar, the leader of the Nationalist Congress Party, led the attack earlier today, alleging that he knew Malik would be harassed because he was speaking out against the BJP.

"...Malik was speaking openly (against the centre). We were sure he is going to be harassed," he said, "It is simple to link a Muslim with Dawood... Link people with a name, harass and defame them by misusing power."

Supriya Sule, Pawar's daughter and a member of Parliament, called it an "insult to Maharashtra."

Nana Patole, the head of the Maharashtra Congress, branded Malik's questioning "revenge" and said the time had come to unify against techniques used to suppress political opponents.

"The way in which he was taken from his home is a challenge to Maharashtra government. A minister is taken away by central agencies by coming to our state," Sanjay Raut, a Shiv Sena MP, spoke out as well.

The BJP, on the other hand, has denied any such allegations, claiming that the Enforcement Directorate's actions are not "vendetta politics."

The party also stated that opposition leaders can go to court if they detect abuse of authority.

Early Wednesday morning, ED officials arrived at Malik's home. According to news agency PTI, he was questioned at home before being transferred to the ED headquarters, where he was questioned for seven hours before being arrested.

"Jhukenge nahi, darenge nahi, expose karenge (we will not bend down, will not fear, will reveal (the lies)"), exclaimed a defiant Malik as he was led away.

When he was eventually brought before a special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), he said: According to the sources "ED officials came to my house early morning, took me to ED office, detained me and later recorded my statement. They gave me a summons copy at the ED office and asked me to sign it.", Malik was detained due to his refusal to cooperate. NCP workers demonstrated near their party's headquarters, which is adjacent to the ED's office in south Mumbai, after learning of his arrest.

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