Mumbai: The opposition after successfully forcing ouster of tainted cabinet minister Prakash Mehta from cabinet, is now training gun at Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Opposition has demanded to table the Lokayukta Report in Legislature and come clean on the issue. CM Fadnavis has accepted the challenge and announced to table the report with Action Taken report in assembly session starting from tomorrow.
Mehta allegedly allowed unauthorised transfer of extra building rights in the SRA (Slum Rehabilitation Authority) scheme at the MP Mills Compound in South Mumbai, originally given to slum dwellers, to project-affected people. The opposition had alleged the move befitted a particular developer to the tune of Rs 1000 crore.
“The cases should be filed against Prakash Mehta and he must be tried before court of law for corruption. But since he himself has admitted on the file, noting that this decision was taken after consultation with CM Fadnavis, the role of CM in this corruption should be investigated,” former CM Prithviraj Chavan demanded.
Dhananjay Munde, leader of opposition in Legislative Council said the removal of six ministers in Sunday's cabinet expansion proved that corruption allegations against them were correct.
He said removal was not enough, since the state government only has a four-month term from here on, and sought an FIR against Prakash Mehta, one of the ministers who quit, on Sunday, in what he claimed was a Rs 1200-crore FSI scam.
The Congress-NCP in Maharashtra on Sunday decided to boycott the customary tea party organised by the BJP-Shiv Sena government on the eve of the Assembly's monsoon session, alleging the latter's claims of development were "virtual" and not on the ground.
Speaking at the interaction, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council and senior NCP leader, Dhananjay Munde, said the government's failed policies had led to the state facing its worst drought since 1972.
"During the Assembly session, we will demand that farmers be paid Rs 25,000 per acre for sowing and cultivation. We will demand a complete loan and power bill waiver for farmers," he said.
"All the development under this government is only virtual, be it loan waivers, smart cities, reservation etc. Industries are shifting from Maharashtra to Gujarat," Munde alleged.
Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat said the government had neglected government staff, farmers and deprived classes and said it worked for just a handful of people.
He said there was no BJP wave in the state, unlike the Lok Sabha polls, and predicted a rout for the Fadnavis government in the Assembly polls scheduled later this year.
Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar said issues related to drought could not be solved sitting in "AC cabins" and claimed only 17% farmers had received crop insurance while this number was 18 per cent in case of farm loan waiver. He dubbed Maharashtra as the "hub of farmer suicides" and said the state government was responsible for this dubious act.
