Mumbai: Addressing a well-attended protest rally outside the civic headquarters in south Mumbai on Saturday, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray also alleged irregularities in civic road concretisation works, gravel procurement, purchase of furniture and sanitary pads. The metropolis was being looted as the Eknath Shinde government was indulging in only scams in the last one year, the former minister alleged.
The Shinde government was formed in June last year, while the BMC, where polls are due in early 2022, is under an administrator. Thackeray said he would meet Maharashtra Governor Ramesh Bais to demand a Lokayukta probe into the alleged irregularities in the civic body.
The rally was announced days after a key aide of Thackeray was raided by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as part of a probe into an alleged scam during the coronavirus pandemic.
Thackeray Alleges 40% Commission Taken By Shinde Govt In Road Works
The Sena (UBT) leader also accused the state government of corruption in road contracts for the city. “The government had planned to give Rs600 crore to the contractors even before the work started; they even took a 40% cut,” Thackeray said. “A file of your theft is ready and you will be shown your place on the day we come back to power,” he said.
“They said they are going to make concrete roads. But, there are 42 utilities under Mumbai roads and 16 agencies need to be coordinated for digging and making a road. Yet, they said they will make roads worth 400km network. When they realised the challenge, they came down to 50 roads. That too they never named,” Thackeray said.
Only five contractors whom they favoured are being given work in the corporation. “The work for the roads was worth Rs5,000 crore. That was increased to Rs6,080 crore. That means 40% commission,” he said.
Order SIT In Thane, Nashik & Pune: Aaditya Thackeray
“You ordered SIT against Mumbai (BMC). Do the same for Thane, Nashik, and Pune. Wherever you go you will find only corruption,” Thackeray said, adding, “I was asked whether I was going to give any memorandum. I declined saying “ what is the point in giving a memorandum to thieves.”
Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut who spoke before Thackeray said that the two in Delhi and 40 in Mumbai are trying to pull down the Shiv Sena flag in Mumbai and that the call today is to defeat those efforts.
