Opposition defaming govt: CM Shinde refutes allegations on NIT land scam

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday refuted the allegations levelled by the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), regarding the Nagpur land allotment scam.

"Opposition did the work of defaming the government," Shinde said.

Addressing a press briefing after concluding the Maharashtra Assembly on Friday, Shinde said, "The opposition did the work of defaming the government by raising issues which are not actually the issue, we tried to give justice to Vidarbha in this session. The opposition has the right to question the government's mistakes but it is not right to defame the government when there is no issue."

"The opposition made allegations on the (Nagpur Improvement Trust) NIT issue but the High Court disposed of the matter," Shinde added.

Earlier this month, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court ordered status quo on a decision taken by Shinde, when he was the Urban Development minister in the erstwhile tripartite MVA government, allotting land meant for slum dwellers to private persons.

A division bench of Justices Sunil Shukre and M W Chandwani, in its order passed on December 14, noted that the court since 2004 has been monitoring the land allotments made by the Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) to politicians and other influential individuals.

This was after a petition was filed by Nagpur-based social activist Anil Wadpalliwar, alleging the NIT, which comes under the urban development department, gave away land to politicians and others at meagre rates.