Rubbishes all allegations against her, calls them mere ‘scam of words’
Mumbai : State women and child development minister Pankaja Munde tried to escape critical questioning and got under the shield of semantics as she addressed a press conference to defend herself against the corruption charges levelled against her.
She rubbished all the charges calling them mere ‘scam of words’ and said she will step down if found guilty of any charge.
“All the charges levelled against me are politically motivated. This is clear from the timing at which they were leaked to the media,” Munde, who was away in London last week when the charges regarding her brazen violation of norms in purchases for Anganwadis, said without naming anyone in particular.
She, however, said that she had already tendered the clarification to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis after the Leader of Opposition in legislative council, Dhananjay Munde, had raised questions over the purchases in a letter written to the CM.
“I’ve not violated any rule or norm. I’ve given all the clarification needed. Yet, I’m ready for any kind of investigation,” she said as she addressed the media here at the Sahyadri state guest house on Wednesday.
“It seems that people (opposition) want to somehow prove that there is a scam brewing when there is nothing like this happening in the government,” Munde said.
“The day it is proved that I am guilty of any wrongdoing, I would not consider myself worth holding any government position, let alone the charge of this very important department,” she said.
Munde, who is also in-charge of water conservation, refuted the allegation of flouting norms in awarding a contract to build a dam in Jalna district to a private company headed by Ratnakar Gutte, a functionary of Rashtriya Samaj Paksh (RSP), an ally of the BJP-led alliance and a close associate of the Munde family.
“There have been pictures of me with Ratnakar Gutte floating the media. These pictures do not mean anything. He (Gutte) has only joined the RSP a few months back and we had met at some function where the picture was taken. But this does not mean I have in any way favoured this person. We have given all the rights of approvals to district collectors and I have not interfered in any of their decisions,” Munde said. She also displayed several pictures of Gutte with other NCP leaders.
In a point-by-point rebuttal of allegations against her, Munde said no new contractor was brought in the system and that the previous Congress-NCP government had made purchases of a much bigger amount through the rate contract system.
“Today they (Congress and NCP) are alleging that since purchases have been done through a rate contract system, this is a scam of Rs 206 crore. But, between 2010-2015, purchases worth Rs 408 crore were done through the same rate contract system. When they do it, it is purchasing and when we do it, it becomes a scam.”
“My only feeling was that the grants of the Centre to this department (women and child development) should not lapse and putting the children to suffer due to lack of nutritious food,” she said.
Oppn steps up attack
Mumbai : The Congress rubbished the ‘clarification’ given by the women and child welfare minister Pankaja Munde here on Wednesday and stepped up the attack against her with the leader of opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil threatening to stall the monsoon session of the assembly if the minister doesn’t resign.
Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant described Munde’s clarification as ‘a poor attempt to hide her misdeeds’ and accused her of misleading the people. He rubbished her claim that the allegations against her were just a ‘scam of words’ and said the present government itself had decided not to resort to the rate-contract system.
“It is not the credibility of opposition that is in doubt as she says, but her own credibility is at stake. It is a mockery of democracy that chief minister asks the opposition to submit proof of allegations when all notings in official files are there for him to see. The real character of BJP is revealed by such conduct,” he said.
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If UPA’s policies were criticised, why NDA is following them?
Meanwhile, stepping up the attack NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said that the minister should resign as she is not taking responsibility for her decisions.
“Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, when in opposition, had criticised the policies of the Congress-NCP government and had declared that he would scrap many policies of the then regime. Why are Munde and Fadnavis now justifying the actions of her ministry, saying that policy of Congress-NCP government was followed?” asked Malik.
Malik also asked whether Munde was not aware of a December 2012 ruling of Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court that purchases through rate-contract (negotiating rates with individual contractors) should stop and e-tendering process should be adopted.
“Munde should explain whether or not she was aware that in June 2013, chief secretary had issued a circular regarding implementation of court order. In May 2013, there were official department notings that purchases through rate contract should not be done. Why did Munde scrap the procurement order…and issue a new order?” he asked.
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Munde is passing wrongdoing on previous govt: Vikhe
Leader of opposition in the Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said there was no substance in Munde’s clarification. “She is trying to pass it on to the previous government. But, all her decisions were taken overruling the procedures,” he said.
He also said that the opposition has decided to stall the proceedings of the assembly till the tainted ministers (Munde and Tawde) do not resign. “The opposition leaders had a meeting last night where we have decided that we won’t let the assembly function if the ministers don’t resign,” he said.
He said the government had lost credibility. “It is not sensitive towards farmers. Today is Krishi Din and the state agriculture minister Eknath Khadse skips an important government function to mark the event and goes abroad. This shows how serious the government is about agriculture.”
The opposition leader said he himself had cancelled his US visit later this week.
“The political situation in the state is seeing some fast developments. Chief Minister and senior minister Eknath Khadse as well as the chief secretary are all touring abroad. So I felt at least the opposition leader should stay back,” Patil said.
Patil also targeted the government for threat calls received by Sawant who had first filed the complaint with ACB about the ‘chikki scam’ involving Munde. “Protecting Sawant is the duty of the government. It will have to pay a heavy price if any harm is caused to Sawant,” the opposition leader said.
Meanwhile, in a statement MNS secretary Nitin Sardesai too has criticised the BJP misrule and demanded resignation of the tainted ministers.
