Fadnavis says govt ready for probe into corruption charges against ministers

Rejects opposition's demand for loan waiver for farmers hit by drought in Maharashtra

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said the state government was prepared to hold an inquiry into corruption cases but asked the Opposition to make available necessary evidence. Fadnavis declared that the government was fully prepared to counter the Opposition’s plan to corner it on the issue of corruption cases involving senior ministers.

The Opposition parties, including Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Samajwadi Party (SP) and Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) have announced to step up their attack against the government against scams relating to the  Rs 206 crore purchase of chikki and other items under Integrated Child Development Scheme made by Pankaja Munde-led ministry of woman and child welfare, the Rs 191 crore procurement of fire extinguishers for zilla parishad schools without tendering, and fake degrees held by ministers Vinod Tawde and Babanrao Lonikar.

However, Fadnavis asked the Opposition not to merely make allegations but be prepared for a comprehensive discussion in the legislature.

He said if the Opposition decides to disrupt the proceedings of the legislature, it will turn out to be the most insensitive to the prevailing issues faced by the state. He was reacting after the customary tea meeting on Sunday, which was boycotted by the Opposition citing government’s failure on every front.

Further, Fadnavis clarified that the loan waiver was not the only solution to provide relief to the farmers reeling under a drought crisis. The chief minister said the farmers have hardly benefited due to the Rs 70,000 crore loan waiver scheme announced by the UPA government. He summarily rejected the Opposition’s demand for a loan waiver scheme for farmers.

Instead, he informed that the government was making all efforts to make the tillers stronger and efficient. This apart, the government has given a thrust on investing more to increase farm growth.

Fadnavis rejected the Opposition’s claim that he has been isolated in the BJP. Furthermore, he downplayed the ongoing verbal duel between the BJP and its ruling partner Shiv Sena, saying that both were together.