Former CM Prithviraj Chavan demands CBI probe into chikki, fire extiguisher scams

Presses for a national loan waiver scheme of Rs 1.50 lakh crore for farmers on the line of UPA govt

Maharashtra’s former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan has demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the Rs 206-crore chikki scam and a Rs 191-crore scam relating to procurement of fire extinguishers for zilla parishad schools in Maharashtra.

Minister of woman and child welfare Pankaja Munde and minister of education Vinod Tawde are under the scanner for these scams.

Chavan claimed that the departments held by the two have bypassed the tender process but Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis gave them a clean chit. “A CBI inquiry is necessary for an impartial probe and the Congress will step up its campaign in this regard in and outside the state legislature.”



Further, Chavan announced that the Congress was geared up for a court battle in the fake degree scam, which had tarred Union human resource development minister Smriti Irani, Maharashtra education minister Vinod Tawde and state water supply minister Babanrao Lonikar.

“By shielding these ministers, what message is the Centre and the state government sending to youths who are striving to complete their education,” he said.



On farmers suicides in Maharashtra, Chavan demanded that the Centre immediately announce a loan waiver worth Rs 1.50 lakh crore and the state declare a similar scheme worth Rs 15,000 crore.

“Farmers are completely broken due to drought, unseasonal rain and scanty or no rainfall in several parts of Maharashtra. The central and state governments should provide loan waiver on the lines of the previous UPA government. The Congress will hold a state-wide agitation on July 9 and 10 to press for a loan waiver,” he added.