Citing  govt 'failures', Oppn boycotts Maha CM's tea party

Mumbai, March 2 (IANS) The Maha Vikas Aghadi on Sunday unanimously decided to boycott the customary tea party convened by the Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on the eve of Budget session of the State Legislature, citing the MahaYuti government's failure at all fronts.  

The decision was taken during the meeting convened at the residence of the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the State Council, Ambadas Danve.

The four-week Budget session will start from Monday.

Danve told reporters: "The Opposition in its letter addressed to the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said if they will attend the customary tea meeting it will be an insult to the farmers, workers and common citizens. Therefore, Opposition has decided to boycott it. The government should clarify its stand on farmers, working class and common citizens in the State Legislature. The Opposition's decision is a symbolic gesture of anger against the state government prevailing among the people of the state."

Danve, who was accompanied by Shiv Sena-UBT legislators Aaditya Thackeray, Bhaskar Jadhav and Sunil Prabhu, NCP-SP legislator Jitendra Awhad and Congress legislator Bhai Jagtap, alleged that the law and order situation in the state has worsened amid rising crimes against women, saying that the state government is not serious to curb such incidents.

Aaditya Thackeray criticised the state government over the molestation of Union Minister of State Raksha Khadse's daughter in Jalgaon district targeting the Chief Minister Fadnavis, who is also the state Home Minister.

"Fadnavis has been the Home Minister for 10 years except for the two-and-a-half years of Maha Vikas Aghadi government. The hands of the police are tied, criminals are given exemption which is causing such incidents," he claimed.

He asked several questions in his tirade against the state government.

"Why is action not taken against those in power but only against those not in power? You were elected on EVM, will you fulfill your promise? Will you increase your beloved sister's money or not?" he asked.

Aaditya Thackeray said that President Droupadi Murmu has sent back the Shakti Act which was passed by the State Legislature to curb crimes against women with a provision of death penalty.

He accused the MahaYuti government of rising internal disputes impacting the governance in the state.

Danve claimed that Walmik Karad, the main accused in the murder of Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh, has been given a VIP treatment in the jail.

Despite alcohol ban in the Maoist-affected Gadchiroli and Wardha districts, 7,000 cases have been registered, he said.

Danve alleged that there has been a scam in the Agriculture department while the Rs 3,000 crore-plus tender issued during the term of former Public Health Minister Tanaji Sawant has been suspended by Chief Minister Fadnavis.

Besides, the tender for the procurement of 1,310 state transport buses awarded hastily ahead of Assembly election during former CM Eknath Shinde-led government has also been suspended, he said.

Danve hit out at the state government over the distress among farmers and its inaction to help them amid declining prices of soybean.