MSCW chief Vijaya Rahatkar quits, claims 'moral victory' against Maha Vikas Aghadi government

MSCW chief Vijaya Rahatkar quits, claims 'moral victory' against Maha Vikas Aghadi government

This comes on the heels of the recent face-off between the Shiv Sena and the BJP over the post of the MSCW chief.

Narsi BenwalUpdated: Wednesday, February 05, 2020, 06:51 AM IST
article-image
MSCW chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar | Twitter

Mumbai: Describing it as her 'moral victory' against the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, Vijaya Rahatkar stepped down from the post of the chairperson of Maharashtra State Commission for Women (MSCW) on Tuesday evening.

This comes on the heels of the recent face-off between the Shiv Sena and the BJP over the post of the MSCW chief.

Notably, the BJP and the Shiv Sena had locked horns over the post with the latter claiming it to be a 'political' appointment and the former maintaining it to be a 'statutory' one.

The issue escalated with the MVA government allegedly misleading the Bombay High Court last month, wherein it informed a bench led by Justice Satyaranjan Dharmadhikari that the tenure of Rahatkar had come to an end but she was not willing to demit office. The government had also claimed that it was looking for a new person to lead the commission.

While accepting the submission, the court had made certain observations against Rahatkar, who is also the BJP's women wing chief. Interestingly, the government did not inform the court that Rahatkar had been given an extension for another three years.

'Shocked' over the stance of the government, Rahatkar, who claimed that the present government never asked her to step down, moved the Supreme Court against Justice Dharmadhikari's orders, who had observed that her appointment was a political one.

The SC bench led by Justice R Bhanumati heard her plea on Tuesday morning and refused to intervene in the matter but said that the question as to whether the appointment of MSCW chief is a political or statutory one, would remain open (for adjudication).

The top court also observed that the Maharashtra government will have to go by the law, if it wants to appoint a new person. Soon after the SC hearing, Rahatkar tendered her resignation to CM Uddhav Thackeray and said, “I was aggrieved with the political observations made by the HC (against me) and had thus moved the top court.

I am satisfied that the SC has indicated that this post is not a political one. I think this is my moral victory as I never indulged in any politics during my tenure.”

Commenting on her resignation, Shiv Sena's Priyanka Chaturvedi said, “The law states that political appointees should step down once their government has been replaced and make space for someone who can constitutionally serve the state. This is no moral victory and just an excuse for saving face.”

RECENT STORIES

Mumbai News: Trust Files Petition In Bombay HC Challenging Cancellation Of Wilson College Gymkhana...

Mumbai News: Trust Files Petition In Bombay HC Challenging Cancellation Of Wilson College Gymkhana...

Mumbai: MSCPCR Objects To Maharashtra Govt's 'Selfie' Directive For Students; Writes Letter To CM...

Mumbai: MSCPCR Objects To Maharashtra Govt's 'Selfie' Directive For Students; Writes Letter To CM...

Mumbai: Scorching Heat Leads To 13 New Stroke Cases; Reveals Public Health Dept

Mumbai: Scorching Heat Leads To 13 New Stroke Cases; Reveals Public Health Dept

Mumbai: Central Railway's Mumbai-Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani And Mumbai-Nagpur Duronto Express Trains...

Mumbai: Central Railway's Mumbai-Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani And Mumbai-Nagpur Duronto Express Trains...

Mumbai: CBI Questions Gangster Prasad Pujari After Deportation From China; Reveals Meeting Kumar...

Mumbai: CBI Questions Gangster Prasad Pujari After Deportation From China; Reveals Meeting Kumar...