Daijiworld Media Network - Baramati
Baramati, Jul 22: Family members of late Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar paid floral tributes to him on his birth anniversary on Wednesday, with emotional scenes unfolding at the site of the plane crash that claimed his life earlier this year.
Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, along with Parth Pawar, Jay Pawar, Rutuja Patil and Vijaya Patil, visited the memorial near the runway at Gojubavi village, where Ajit Pawar's chartered aircraft crashed on January 28 while he was travelling to Baramati for campaigning ahead of the Zilla Parishad elections.
The family offered floral tributes at the memorial, with Sunetra Pawar visibly emotional as she remembered her late husband.
On Tuesday midnight, she had also visited Ajit Pawar's memorial at Vidya Pratishthan in Baramati ahead of his birth anniversary.
Ajit Pawar was serving as Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister when the chartered aircraft crashed near Baramati airport in Gojubavi village. The aircraft burst into flames after impact, killing Pawar, the pilot, cabin crew member and his security personnel.
Although suspicions of sabotage had surfaced following the crash, investigations conducted so far have not found any conclusive evidence supporting the theory.
Marking the occasion, Sunetra Pawar shared an emotional message recalling the years she had celebrated her husband's birthday with joy and pride. She said accepting the day as his birth anniversary after his demise remained deeply painful and that she still found it difficult to come to terms with the loss.
She described Ajit Pawar as her greatest source of strength, saying his support, encouragement and unwavering presence had guided her through every phase of life. She added that while he was no longer physically present, his ideals, memories, discipline, commitment to public service and love would continue to inspire her forever.
Various programmes have been organised across Maharashtra by the Nationalist Congress Party to commemorate Ajit Pawar's birth anniversary.