BJP demands President's Rule in Maharashtra over corruption allegations against Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA govt

NEW DELHI: Stepping up its attack on the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra, which is facing serious allegations of corruption, the BJP on Monday demanded the imposition of President’s Rule in the state.

The BJP MPs raised the issue as soon as the two Houses of Parliament met on Monday for the normal business. 

Several ruling party lawmakers, including Navneet Singh Rana, Poonam Mahajan, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar, attacked the Uddhav Thackeray -led MVA government, which they alleged was involved deep-neck into corruption.

Referring to the allegations of corruption made against the state’s Home Minister Anil Deshmukh by former Mumbai top cop Parambir Singh, the BJP MPs demanded a thorough investigation into the matter and pressed for President’s Rule in Maharashtra.

"Perhaps it is the first incident of the country where the CM (Maharashtra) holds a press conference in support of the API who was given a target of Rs 100 crore, he says that he is the best police personnel in the country. How does this happen?'' BJP MP Rakesh Singh said in Lok Sabha.

On her turn, Independent MP Navneet Ravi Rana said, "On what basis was a man suspended for 16 years and jailed, reinstated? When there was BJP govt, Uddhav Thackeray himself had called up Devendra Fadnavis for reinstating Sachin Waze, Fadnavis had refused. When the Thackeray government came, they reinstated him. All this needs to be investigated properly.''

On what basis was a man suspended for 16 yrs & jailed, reinstated? When there was BJP govt, Uddhav Thackeray himself had called up Devendra Fadnavis for reinstating Sachin Waze, Fadnavis had refused. When Thackeray govt came, they reinstated him: Independent MP Navneet Ravi Rana pic.twitter.com/AULrHbDIe5 — ANI (@ANI) March 22, 2021

They also demanded the immediate ouster of Deshmukh from the MVA government till an impartial inquiry is conducted into the matter.

Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 2 PM amid a huge uproar in the House by the ruling party leaders.

Meanwhile, a delegation of state BJP leaders will meet Governor Bhagat Singh Koshiyari on 24th March over the present situation in Maharashtra.

Alleging a "conspiracy" to defame the Maharashtra government, senior NCP leader and state minister Nawab Malik on Monday questioned the "timing" of former Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh's letter in which he accused state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh of corruption.

Malik, who is the national spokesperson of the NCP, also said the party has decided that Deshmukh need not resign at this juncture. "A call on Deshmukh's fate will be taken once the probe is completed".

On Sunday, NCP president Sharad Pawar said Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will decide the fate of Deshmukh. The allegations levelled by Param Bir Singh against Deshmukh are serious and require an in-depth probe, he had said.

A major political storm erupted in Maharashtra after Singh, who was recently shunted out as Mumbai police commissioner, wrote a letter to CM Thackeray last week claiming Deshmukh had asked Sachin Waze, currently in the NIA custody, and other police officers to collect Rs 100 crore monthly, including Rs 50 to Rs 60 crore from bars and hotels in Mumbai.

Deshmukh had denied these allegations.

"Why Singh did not issue the letter before he was transferred to the Home Guard department. He (Singh) has claimed that (Sachin) Waze met Deshmukh in the last week of February. Deshmukh was in the hospital till February 15. He was in-home quarantine till February 27," Malik told a news channel.

He said Deshmukh started meeting people on February 28 after testing negative for coronavirus on February 27. "So, this letter raises doubts," Malik added.