Leaders of various political parties including Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP today condemned the attack on senior CPI leader Govind Pansare and asked Maharashtra government to ensure that the culprits are arrested and an in-depth probe is held.
The CPI(M) has given a state-wide protest call against the attack.
Shiv Sena leader and Union Minister Anant Geete condemned the attack on Pansare and said it was a "challenge" for the state government.
Pansare, who led a campaign against road toll tax, and his wife today suffered serious injuries after they were shot at by some unknown assailants in front of their house in Kolhapur.
"We Condemn-senior CPI leader Govind Rao Pansare shot at in Kohlapur-Maharashtra, where he was leading a campaign against toll tax!," Congress leader Ajay Maken tweeted.
NCP Chief Sharad Pawar termed as "shocking" the attack on Pansare and appealed to Maharashtra Government to "use their own forces" for an in-depth investigation.
"I condemn this attack.... Those who are responsible... they should be taught a lesson," the former Maharashtra Chief Minister said.
"I know him for last 40-45 years. He is a committed person. He is the person who always fought for his cause. And he never compromised on his principles," Pawar said.
The NCP leader said this is the second such incident in the state after anti-superstition activist Narendra Dabholkar was shot dead in Pune in August, 2013.
Condemning the incident, CPI (M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury said such incidents are "becoming a sort of a routine matter" in Maharashtra.
"Yes, he was leading an agitation of Left parties against toll taxes...That has been a very popular and a very big agitation and surely there are vested interests who would lose because of this. They may be targeting.
"Also he has written a very popular book on projection of Shivaji and what actually the history was and how these are being used by all these Hindu communal outfits mainly Shiv Sena and the BJP. So that could also be one of the reasons," Yechury said.
"So whatever be the actual reasons, proper investigation has to be done," he said. He said the CPI (M) has given a state-wide protest call against the attack.
The assailants fired at Pansare and his wife this morning outside the Ideal Housing Society here when the couple was returning after their daily morning walk from Shivaji University.
While Pansare was hit by bullets on the nape of his neck, his wife Sau Uma Pansare suffered a single bullet injury, Kolhapur Superintendent of Police, Omprakash Sharma said.
