NEW DELHI: BJP MLA Suresh Dhas from Maharashtra has denied baseless allegations claiming he consumed deer meat, asserting that the accusations are part of a larger conspiracy to have him killed by the “Bishnoi gang.”
He asserts that there is an orchestrated effort to connect him with cases against Satish Bhosale alias ‘Khokya’, who was apprehended last month for attempted murder.
Bhosale, a BJP functionary from Maharashtra’s Beed district and a known associate of Dhas, faces additional charges for wildlife hunting.
In an interview with a Marathi newspaper, Dhas stated, “Some leaders from Parli (in Beed district) came to my constituency and claimed that I received deer meat from Bhosale. I have never consumed such meat”.
He emphasised his identity as a ‘malkari’ (follower of Lord Vitthal), who traditionally abstain from meat consumption.
“The Bishnoi community (of Rajasthan) considers deer sacred. An attempt was made to frame me, so that a gangster like Lawrence Bishnoi would act against me”, he further stated. Dhas revealed that members of the “Bishnoi gang” were transported to Mumbai, allegedly to harm him, citing evidence of flight ticket purchases for certain individuals from Rajasthan.
He indicated his intention to discuss this matter with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Dhas mentioned that he had previously highlighted the murder case of Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh in Beed district, which created controversy, and had criticised both NCP leader Dhananjay Munde and BJP leader and state minister Pankaja Munde.
He suggests that the current allegations in the Bhosale case appear to be retaliatory. Notably, Dhananjay Munde stepped down from the Maharashtra cabinet last month after his close associate Walmik Karad was arrested in an extortion case linked to the Deshmukh murder.