Mumbai/Ahmednagar: Social activist Anjali Damania will on Thursday stage a sit-in outside Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra ​Fadnavis’ official residence in Mumbai to demand Eknath Khadse​'s resignation from the state Cabinet.


COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

Damania will begin her indefinite fast outside the CM's official residence 'Varsha' on the Malabar Hill at 10 am.


Bharatiya Janata Party’s most senior minister, Eknath Khadse, is facing charges of corruption.


In a series of tweets, Damania said:




Damania met veteran social activist Anna Hazare on Wednesday in this regard.


 


She said Hazare will shortly speak to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue, as part of his anti-corruption agenda.


Damania showed Hazare the documents purportedly linking Khadse to certain scams and said the 78-year-old well known social activist was "shocked".



Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police slapped Damania with a notice prohibiting her from agitating in the sensitive VVIP zone.



Some BJP activists and Khadse supporters burnt her effigy in Jalgaon, the northern Maharashtra district from where the minister hails.



Damania hit back at the BJP with a tweet: "Achche Din... Great, BJP! Instead of burning effigy of those indulging in corruption, you are targeting those fighting against graft."


Both Hazare and Damania have in the past targeted ministers, bureaucrats and officials for various acts of alleged corruption spanning several key government departments.


 


The beleaguered Khadse -- number two in the state Cabinet and holding around 10 key portfolios, including revenue -- has been accused of corruption by different opposition parties too, which have demanded his sacking or resignation.


Mumbai Congress president Sanjay Nirupam on Monday led a delegation to Maharashtra Governor C Vidyasagar Rao to demand Khadse's removal.


On Monday, Pune-based businessman-cum-activist Hemant L Gawande accused Khadse, his wife and son-in-law of various irregularities in the purchase of a piece of land.


 


The ruling BJP, however, dismissed as "baseless and mala fide" the allegations against Khadse.


(With IANS inputs)