Fadnavis: Opposition took help of anti-nationals to win polls

He also alleged that the opposition had used terror funding amounting to ₹100 crore during the Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra

NAGPUR: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has accused the opposition, especially the Congress, of receiving support from frontal organisations linked to “urban naxals” to win elections. Fadnavis alleged that more than 40 such organisations played a part in the Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in 2022-23. Gandhi’s country-wide march was aimed at uniting the country against the divisive politics of the BJP.

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis asserted there was "evidence of foreign interference in Indian elections" according to the ATS (PTI)

He also alleged that the opposition had used terror funding amounting to ₹100 crore during the Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra.

While offering no proof to support his allegations, Fadnavis made these claims while replying to the debate on the congratulatory motion for the governor’s joint address to both houses of the state legislature, during the winter session on Thursday. He also claimed there were a few countries interested in destabilising India and the opposition should not support them merely for their own political gain.

Fadnavis also alleged that a serious case of terror funding in elections in Maharashtra had come to light. “The Anti-Terrorism Squad is probing the case involving a benami amount of ₹114 crore deposited in 14 accounts in the Nashik Mercantile Cooperative Bank. The accused, Siraj Mohammed, used fake PAN cards to open these 14 accounts. The probe by the Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax has revealed that ₹1,000 crore was transferred into 201 bank accounts in 21 states in the country. Of this, ₹600 crore had been sent to Dubai, while ₹100 crore was utilised in Maharashtra during the Lok Sabha elections for various activities,” he alleged. Fadnavis claimed that increasing foreign interference in India’s elections has already been exposed in parliament.

“After the naxal movement was curbed with systematic efforts, some frontal organisations tried to find a safe haven in urban areas. Their main intention is to misguide youth between 16 and 27 years, by inculcating distrust for the Constitution and constitutional institutions, to create anarchy. Their whole intention is to create disbelief about constitutional institutions like the courts, Reserve Bank of India, Election Commission of India, that they are no longer autonomous. The intention is to create the sense of revolution among the people by challenging the Constitution given by Dr B R Ambedkar and create anarchy,” claimed Fadnavis, who only yesterday referred the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, 2024, to a joint select committee. The bill has met with stiff resistance from the opposition and other groups, who say such a law, if passed, could be repressive and used to silence dissent with the threat of a jail term.

In the house on Thursday, Fadnavis alleged that a conclave had been held in Kathmandu of the frontal organisations he had referred to. According to him, the conclave had passed a resolution to mobilise organisations to push for voting on ballot papers. “I have the report of the meeting and it mentions the resolve to fight an ideological struggle through social, electronic and print media. The report speaks about the resolution to create bigger polarisation between reforms in the status quo and a revolution. It also mentions a campaign to re-launch ballot papers and reunite against the Maharashtra government,” he said.

Elaborating on his claim relating to Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, Fadnavis alleged that 40 frontal organisations were a part of Gandhi’s campaign, of a total 180 such organisations named by former Maharashtra home minister R R Patil, in his reply to a question in the assembly, in 2012.

He also alleged that in 2014, the Congress-led Maharashtra government, in a reply to BJP’s Gopal Shetty in the state assembly, had mentioned 48 frontal organisations in the state. Of these, Fadnavis claimed, 20 were part of the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Fadnavis went on to add, “In a reply in parliament, the then UPA government had said in February 2014 that, of 72 frontal organisations identified, seven were from Maharashtra.

The Maharashtra chief minister claimed the opposition should not lend their support to these organisations, to destabilise the country. He said countries envious of India’s prosperity are behind a conspiracy to destabilise the country through “deep state” activities. “The opposition should learn to accept the landslide mandate given to us by the people,” Fadnavis remarked, alleging that the opposition is creating a fake narrative about EVMs after their defeat in the recent assembly elections.