Dhananjay Munde and Pankaja Munde involved in war of words over Chikki scam in the state assembly.
Women and Child Welfare minister Pankaja Munde has said that she is ready for investigation for the allegations of irregularities in the purchases worth Rs 206 crore by her department. The Maharashtra Legislative Council Chairman Ramraje Nimbalkar had asked the Pankaja Munde to submit a written explanation with regards to this case. On the other hand, NCP leader Dhanajay Munde has asked Pankaja to resign first before going ahead with the probe. There was a heated debate about the Chikki scam in the state assembly as both Dhananjay and Pankaja clarifying their stand on this issue. He asked the government to present the documents about the deal signed between it and Suryakanta Mahila Audyogik Sahakari Sanstha. If Suryakanta had produced 27 lakh kilo chikkis then they should explain how much money they have incurred on the electricity and water bill. There have been irregularities in the purchase of plates, water purifier and mats. He wanted Pankaja Munde and Vinod Tawde to follow Lal Krishna Advani who had stepped down after his name cropped up in the hawala scam. Congress MLC Sharad Ranpise had moved a breach of privilege motion against Munde.
Dhananjay also presented some documents which mentioned about Pankaja’s role in the scam. Munde said that the Fadnavis government has lost the confidence of the people after coming to power. He added that the government is only misleading them. He asked why the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is silent over this issue and wanted him to make a statement in this regard. The opposition is targeting the BJP government by raising the Chikki scam and Vinod Tawde’s fake degree case in the assembly.
Pankaja Munde said, “These are politically motivated charges. I deny all charges against me. I am ready for a probe and truth will be unveiled.”
Later Fadnavis himself came forward to defend Pankaja and said, “I am willing to make my stand clear on this issue. The opposition is blowing this issue out of proportion. The erstwhile Democratic Front government has been indulging in scams. We will conduct a probe pertaining to the contract and purchases made by the Democratic Front government during the last 15 years.”
Munde has been accused of corruption by the opposition after it emerged that her department awarded contracts for various items including the sweet snack `chikki’ for tribal area schools without calling for e-tenders. Education minister Vinod Tawde has also faced allegations of irregularities in a contract for purchasing 62,105 fire extinguishers worth Rs 191 crore for zilla parishad schools.
Coming out in Munde’s defence, leader of the House and senior minister Eknath Khadse said, “Mere allegations do not mean that corruption has actually taken place. I know of a hundred cases like this.”
