Sanjay Raut slams MVA govt for no action against BJP leaders involved in wrongdoings

Days after a close relative of Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut faced action from the Enforcement Directorate

Days after a close relative of Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut faced action from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and names of Uddhav and Aaditya Thackeray appeared in a chargesheet, Raut criticised the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government for not taking action against BJP leaders allegedly involved in wrongdoings. Raut questioned why the Maharashtra police had not summoned Praful Khoda Patel in connection with Dadra and Nagar Haveli MP Mohan Delkar’s death by suicide despite the note naming him and other officials.

Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut HT/File

Raut in his weekly column RokhThok in Sena mouthpiece Saamana said Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar took on the BJP when he was in the opposition that changed the course of election in 2019. Raut gave instances where West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee took to the streets against Central agencies. The Sena chief spokesperson asked how the Maharashtra government was “tolerating” the statement that other ministers from the MVA government would be in a cell next to former home minister Anil Deshmukh.

“Deshmukh is in jail due to the action by the ED. A few people with the security provided by the Centre are threatening that other ministers will soon go to a cell next to Deshmukh. The question arises as to how the Maharashtra government is tolerating this,” said Raut, adding that all the non-BJP chief ministers should come together against the arbitrary actions by Central investigating agencies.

The Sena leader said while false cases are filed against political opponents, the state government is keeping quiet. “While there is talk of imprisoning ministers, there is no unease in the Maharashtra government. Uncivilised words are used against the chief minister and Pawar but they do not face any action. Soon after getting the notice, Pawar, who was then in the opposition, became aggressive and took to the streets. The Sena and NCP leaders are being targeted by the Centre. It is noteworthy that when the CBI takes such steps in West Bengal, Banerjee herself goes to the offices of the CBI and the ED, and the lower court to free her men.” Raut further said the BJP leaders are not clean and they have laundered huge amounts of money through power and malpractices. “What is the state’s economic offences wing doing? At this time, it feels that Maharashtra’s home ministry and law and judiciary ministry need to be rejuvenated.”

The Sena leader expressed surprise as the state-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) had not summoned Patel in connection with Delkar’s death. “Delkar ended his life by suicide in Mumbai. The suicide note had the name of Patel, a BJP-appointed arrogant administrator. The state government set up an SIT. But it is shocking that the SIT did not even send summons to Patel for interrogation,” he said.

State BJP leaders said as a policy, the party does not respond to criticism made in Saamana.

Delkar (58), a seven-term MP from Dadra and Nagar Haveli, was found dead in a south Mumbai hotel on February 22 last year. The Mumbai police registered an FIR for alleged abetment to suicide against Patel.