Mumbai, Oct 18 (IANS) The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (President) Prakash Ambedkar has alleged that the Nationalist Congress Party (SP) President Sharad Pawar met the absconding mafia don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar in Dubai and was gifted a gold chain.

Making a sensational claim, Ambedkar told media persons that the purported meeting took place when Pawar was the Chief Minister of Maharashtra (1988-1991) and had travelled abroad, first to California (USA), and then to London (UK).

He further claimed that Pawar had gone on an official tour that time, first went to London, then California and returned to London where he stayed for two days after which he travelled to Dubai (UAE).

“In Dubai, he met Dawood at the airport and he (Pawar) was welcomed and even gifted a gold necklace by the don there. Then he took a flight back to London that evening and then returned to India after two days,” alleged Ambedkar, the grandson of the Chief Architect of the Indian Constitution B. R. Ambedkar.

Rejecting the claims, NCP (SP) National Spokesperson Clyde Crasto said that it is clear that Ambedkar is attempting to create a ‘fake narrative’ ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections.

“It’s clear... He is speaking on behalf of the Bharatiya Janata Party… He is just trying to float a narrative with the state assembly polls coming up soon,” said Crasto dismissively.

On the purported trip around 35 years ago, Ambedkar questioned that as Pawar was the Chief Minister then did he get the permission of the Central government before travelling abroad.

“Did the Centre allow him to travel and attend the meetings in California then? If yes, then was he also permitted to go and meet Dawood in Dubai? Were those meetings official or unofficial and reported to the central government or not,” demanded Ambedkar.

When pointed out, the VBA chief said that he was raising it as it’s (Assembly) election time and he wanted to caution the people to choose the party which they vote for carefully, in view of the current political situation in the world, and attacks like the killing of MahaYuti ally Nationalist Congress Party leader Baba Ziauddin Siddique on October 12.

He called upon the NCP (SP), and the Central government to come clean on this and provide an explanation on all this, why the meetings were held since the country had faced a series of bomb blasts and terror strikes in the 1990s, and a similar situation unfolding now for which we must be on alert.

“I am not making any allegations, but merely putting forth certain facts, and demand that the NCP (SP) and the (current) government should give an explanation. Moreover, the current international situation is disturbing and India’s relations are getting damaged with the USA, Canada, and in the Middle East,” contended Ambedkar.