Raut criticises MVA government for not acting against BJP leaders

“Deshmukh, the former Home Minister, is in jail due to the action by the ED. Few people with the security provided by the Centre are threatening that other ministers will soon go to a cell next to Deshmukh. The question arises as to how the Maharashtra government is tolerating this,” said Raut adding that all non-BJP chief ministers should come together against the arbitrary actions by central investigating agencies.

Raut’s outburst comes in the backdrop of Enforcement Directorate (ED) arresting businessman Pravin Raut, a relative of Sanjay Raut under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), in its supplementary chargesheet filed against Deshmukh, has also included allegations levelled by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh against Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray and his son and cabinet minister Aaditya Thackeray.

“The BJP leaders are not clean and they have laundered huge amounts of money through power and malpractices. What is the state’s economic offences wing doing? At this time, it feels that Maharashtra’s Home Ministry and Law and Judiciary Ministry need to be rejuvenated,” remarked Raut. The Home Ministry is headed by NCP leader Dilip Walse Patil while the Law and Judiciary is headed by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

The Sena leader further expressed shock over non-issuance of summons by the state-appointed SIT to Praful Khoda Patel, administrator of Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, in connection with MP Mohan Delkar’s death by suicide.

“Delkar has committed suicide in Mumbai and his suicide note contains names from Praful Khoda Patel, a BJP-appointed arrogant administrator. The state government has set up an SIT to probe Delkar’s suicide. It is shocking that the SIT did not send a simple summons to Praful Khoda Patel for interrogation,” said Raut.

The Sena leader indirectly questioned the lack of aggressiveness and support of NCP chief Sharad Pawar and CM Thackeray to the Sena and NCP leaders targeted by central agencies.

“While there is a talk of imprisoning ministers, there is no unease in the Maharashtra government. The dirty words are used against the Chief Minister and Sharad Pawar but no action has been taken. Soon after getting the notice, Sharad Pawar became aggressive and took to the streets. He was then in the Opposition. The Shiv Sena and NCP leaders are being targeted by the Centre. It is noteworthy that when the CBI conducts such actions in West Bengal, CM Mamata Banerjee herself goes to the CBI and ED’s office and the lower court to get relief for her people,” he added.