When people were dying, Aaditya and friends were looting Mumbai: Shiv Sena
Pawaskar said the Opposition has brazenly looted BMC for 24 years, which is why people too are supporting this inquiry
4 min read
As a part of their money laundering investigation into the alleged Covid jumbo centres scam, a team of Enforcement Directorate on Thursday visited BMC's Central Purchase Department office in Byculla West. (Express photo by Amit Chakravarty) Shiv Sena secretary and spokesperson Kiran Pawaskar lashed out at Sena (UBT) for claiming that ED action in the Covid Jumbo Centre case was a tactic by the government to silence them before their July 1 protest march.
Pawaskar said the Opposition has brazenly looted BMC for 24 years, which is why people too are supporting this inquiry. “For 24 years, they have only looted BMC. Despite them being in power for such a long time, the city’s infrastructure continued to deteriorate. Even during Covid, when people were dying and struggling to procure medicine, they were shamelessly making money over the dead,” he said.
“And now they are terming the inquiry as political vendetta. So should no one question you?” said Pawaskar. He added that the July 1 protest is an eye-wash and publicity gimmick. “July 1 is a Saturday. So who will they give their memorandum to? BMC’s watchman?” said Pawaskar.
Speaking of ED raids on government officials and aides of Aaditya Thackeray and Sanjay Raut, the Sena secretary said inquiries and raids have been delayed, but even now if the inquiry is conducted properly it will lead to the ‘mastermind’ of the scams – Aaditya Thackeray. “Who is this Suraj Chavan? When he was not even eligible to pay Income Tax for so many years, how has he amassed so much wealth? Who was he collecting the money for? When ED investigates all these things, it will lead them to Aaditya Thackeray,” said Pawaskar. On Uddhav Thackeray claiming that BMC’s fixed deposits are being broken, Pawaskar said the money is being used to give Mumbai the development it deserves. “We are using the money to make high quality roads. What did they do? Contracts were given to Sujit Patkar for setting up a Jumbo Covid Centre — but what are his credentials? Just because he is Sanjay Raut’s friend? Why should such arbitrary decisions not be questioned?” said Pawaskar.
On BMC’s demolition of an ‘illegal’ Sena shakha in Bandra East, Pawaskar said all sorts of illegal activities were being run from there. “While the structure was being demolished, there were only a handful of people there, in contrast to the power that shakha’s wielded when Balasaheb was around. This is their party’s reality today,” said Pawaskar.
Pawaskar came down heavily on BMC, saying they fleeced people during the crisis. “During the pandemic, BMC charged Rs 6,719 for a body bag, which is usually available for about Rs 800. Even in the USA, bags were acquired at USD 51, which is roughly Rs 3,900. BMC also acquired Remdesivir doses at Rs 1,568 per vial, however, Haffkine Institute had raised the invoice for Rs 665 per vial. They also charged an extra Rs 207 for PPE kits, of which as many as 5,000 were bought per day,” he said.
“This is the level they stooped to. They were fattening their bank accounts when people were distraught over lack of essential amenities and services. They are a gang operating under the garb of a political party, and they accuse us of misusing agencies. I urge central authorities to strictly punish those found guilty.”
Notably, in October 2022, the Chief Minister and Shiv Sena Chief Eknath Shinde had ordered a special investigation team (SIT) to probe BMC’s financial irregularities estimated at about Rs 12,024 crore between November 28, 2019 and February 28, 2022. Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar will head the SIT probe, along with Economic Offence Wing (EOW) joint police commissioner Nishit Mishra among other senior police officers.
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