Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said he is not a party to the cases related to the killing of rationalists Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare and asserted oral remarks by courts are not judicial orders.
Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio, made the statement in the Legislative Assembly in the backdrop of the Bombay High Court in March making strong observations against him in connection with the pace of investigation into the two high profiles cases.
“I am neither a respondent nor an accused in the cases. Oral remarks (by courts) are not judicial opinion or orders,” the chief minister said, citing previous court orders. Fadnavis said there is clear separation of powers of judiciary and legislature and this arrangement has to be respected.
In March-end, the HC had expressed displeasure over the pace of probe into the killing of Dabholkar (August 2013) and Pansare (February 2015), asking whether the chief minister did not have time to take stock of the cases. The CBI is probing the Dabholkar killing case, while the state CID is probing the Pansare matter.
“What is the CM doing? He holds 11 portfolios, including home, but does not find the time to take stock of the case,” the court had said. Fadnavis was Thursday replying to the debate on Governor Vidyasagar Rao's address to the joint session of the state legislature made in February. During his speech, the chief minister touched upon a host of issues, including the proposed water grid in drought-
hit Marathwada and `Jalyukt Shivar', his government's flagship water conservation programme. He said all tenders for a planned water grid in the parched Marathwada region will be invited before the model code for the assembly polls, likely in October, kicks in.
“The first DPR (detailed project report) and tender will be issued next month and we plan to bring maximum tenders before the election code of conduct comes into force,” he said. The state government is committed to provide tap water to every household, Fadnavis said.
Speaking about Jalyukt Shivar, he said due to the success of the scheme, intensity of drought in the state has been less. The project, which aims to make the state drought-free, involves deepening and widening of streams, construction of cement and earthen stop dams, work on nullahs and digging of farm ponds.
Can't implement Kelkar committee report as it is: Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis
Mumbai: CM Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said the state government cannot implement Dr Vijay Kelkar committee's report on balanced regional development "as it as", since its parameters do not match with those mentioned in the Constitution. There will be huge injustice to Marathwada and Vidarbha regions if the report is implemented as it is, he said. The Kelkar committee, constituted by the erstwhile Cong-NCP govt, has given some recommendations for balanced regional development and the report was accepted by the state government in December 2014.
