The allegation made by the BJP against Sena pertaining to the nullah cleaning work is baseless says Rahul Shewale.
Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale said that BJP leader Ashish Shelar should first prove about Sena’s involvement in the nullah cleaning scam or else he should resign. Earlier Shelar had held Sena responsible for the 100 crore nullah (desilting) scam to divert people’s attention from the meat ban issue. Even though Shiv Sena is the alliance partner of the BJP led Maharashtra government but both the party has been at loggerheads with each other over several issues. Sena frequently criticises the BJP in its editorial published in the party mouthpiece Saamna. Following the assembly elections of 2014, in which it emerged the largest party in Maharashtra, the BJP has begun a systematic campaign to wrest control of the BMC from the Shiv Sena in the civic elections scheduled for February 2017. The two parties have been running the civic body together for two decades but the Shiv Sena has always been the big brother here.
Shewale said, “Instead of blaming the Shiv Sena for the alleged misappropriation of funds in the nullah cleaning work, Shelar should provide evidence to support his claim failing which he should resign.”
The Brihanmumbai has allocated Rs 281 crores for undertaking the nullah cleaning work for a period of two years out of which Rs 140 crore was meant to be spent during the first year. Only 60 per cent of the cleaning work was carried out prior to the beginning of monsoon. Only 16 per cent of the amount has been paid to contractors while the remaining amount is yet to be paid to them.
Shewale said, “The allegation made by the BJP against Sena pertaining to the nullah cleaning work is baseless. Shelar should stop making allegations against us. He (Shelar) is trying to take credit for the desilting probe. The Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should intervene in this matter and ask Shelar to resign from his post.”
Earlier, at a party function, Shelar said BJP suspects a scam “to the tune of Rs 100 crore” in nullah cleaning work.
On September 19, he had tweeted, “I had demanded a probe on BMC officials, contractors and their negligence for flooding during rains. Now they stand punished. Let us give due credit to the leaders who made this probe reach logical end: CM @Dev_Fadnavis & BMC Commissioner Ajoy Mehta.”
The BMC chief Ajoy Mehta had ordered an inquiry into the alleged nexus between contractors and civic engineers after shoddy work – despite spending over Rs 200 crore of taxpayers’ money – caused widespread flooding in Mumbai during the season’s first downpour in June.
