Sule hits back at Fadnavis: ‘Seek apology, resignation of ministers who were in cabinet in 2011, 2021’:

Sule said that in 2011, the cabinet comprised of Ajit Pawar, Sunil Tatkare, Chhagan Bhujbal, Vijaykumar Gavit, Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, Hasan Mushrif and in 2021 the cabinet had Ajit Pawar, Dilip Walse-Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dhananjay Munde, Sanjay Bansode, Aditi Tatkare, Eknath Shinde, Gulabrao Patil, Uday Samant, Sandipan Bhumare and many others.

“All of them are now part of the present government. Before making the ridiculous demand of seeking apology from Sharad Pawar, Maharashtra’s part-time Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should first seek apology and resignation from these individuals,” said Sule.

She was reacting to the protests by the BJP demanding apology from Sharad Pawar for bringing in contract recruitment in Maharashtra government services. “Instead of those who were part of the government, Fadnavis is seeking answers from the one who was not even a part of it,” she said.

Fadnavis, in a press conference on Friday, had announced cancellation of tenders of empanelled companies for contract recruitment, claiming the anti-youth decision was a result of previous governments.

“Ideally, the decision was concerned with the Labour department. But it was announced by the deputy CM which is not a constitutional position. It could have been done by CM Eknath Shinde as well,” she said.

Opposition Congress too slammed the BJP over its protests, asking Fadnavis to make Shinde and Pawar apologise. “Bharatiya Janata Party is number one in peddling lies. While 2.5 lakh government posts are vacant in the state, the BJP government is not filling these posts. The state government led by Shinde committed the sin of keeping lakhs of youth from Maharashtra unemployed by allowing various projects like Vedanta Foxconn, Tata Airbus to go outside Maharashtra. Farmers’ suicides have increased, there is no price for agricultural products and it is the fault of the BJP government,” said state Congress chief Nana Patole.