Shiv Sena slams Maharashtra government over graft allegations against Mehta, Mopalwar

In an editorial in the party’s mouthpiece Saamana, the Shiv Sena also slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its double standards when it comes to corruption.

The Shiv Sena on Friday criticised the Devendra Fadnavis-led government for turning a blind eye to graft within the government, questioning if the watchdogs appointed over Shiv Sena were ‘sleeping’ in the case of the state housing minister Prakash Mehta, and senior bureaucrat Radheshyam Mopalwar.

CM Devendra Fadnavis (HT File)

In an editorial in the party’s mouthpiece Saamana, the Shiv Sena also slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its double standards when it comes to corruption. On one side the Centre conducted a raid on a Karnataka minister for sheltering Gujarat legislators in his resort, while in Maharashtra, the government simply announced an inquiry into graft allegations against the people involved.

“The watchdogs who have taken it upon themselves to count the number of potholes in Mumbai are asleep when it comes to their own ministers,” the Sena said. It added, the Mehta and Mopalwar incident reveal why the government might remain stable even if the Shiv Sena withdraws support.

“We do not believe rumours that former minister Eknath Khadse was removed from the cabinet only because he had challenged the chief minister’s post. The chief minister took a stand over transparent administration. He keeps saying he will not tolerate corruption. But then, how is Mehta, who was involved in corruption, still in the cabinet? This is the government’s doublespeak,” the Sena said in the editorial.

Mehta has been in the dock for allegedly favouring developers in two slum rehabilitation cases. Mopalwar was removed from his post pending an inquiry into audio clips where the managing director of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) demanded money in the transaction of a 15,000 square feet plot.

The Sena has so far remained quiet in the legislature and has not joined in the opposition’s demands for Mehta’s resignation and Mopalwar’s suspension.