Uddhav Thackeray Sena’s protest march against SIT probe

Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena (UBT) president, announces the march during a press conference at Shiv Sena Bhavan on Tuesday. Pic/Ashish Raje

A day after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde formed a special investigation team under the city police chief to probe R12,000 cr irregularities in the then Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena controlled Mumbai civic body, the former ruling party declared a war on the rival Sena faction. On Tuesday, Thackeray met his former corporators in the run-up to the civic polls.

Thackeray's MLA son Aaditya will lead a protest march to the BMC headquarters on July 1, demanding a similar probe in the spending of the civic body's fixed deposits. The former CM made an announcement to this effect on Tuesday. In response, CM Shinde said that the people who robbed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) were scared because of the SIT.

The SIT has been asked to investigate the period between November 28, 2019 and October 31, 2022 for the irregularities of Rs 12,000 crore that were found by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). FD splurge: UT Thackeray said the fixed deposits, the taxpayers' money, were being splurged. "We will seek answers from the corrupt through the protest morcha. The elections have been delayed. The public work is pending in absence of the elected representatives. And meanwhile, Mumbai's money is being splurged beyond limits. The city has no guardian."

Denying corruption in his tenure, he said that the SIT probe was a defence mechanism for the thieves. "We have demanded that today (June 20) be notified as ‘World Traitors' Day' and we will mark the day. Let them corner us through the SIT. We are going to expose the corrupt. We have already unearthed some scams in the BMC. They are out to loot FDs worth Rs 92,000 cr," he said, adding that the MVA partners would be welcomed to the morcha.

‘Don't talk about thefts'

CM Shinde said the rival Sena was making a last ditch effort to save its face. "The robbers should not talk about thefts. They have robbed the BMC for 15-20 years. Where have the hundreds of crores of money gone? They are on slippery ground because of the SIT. They are misleading the people. The SIT has been asked to probe the CAG findings and it will work impartially. The money belonging to Mumbaikars should be with them (the BMC). Nobody can divert it," he said.

‘Probe to expose many'

Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis said many more will be exposed by the probing SIT. "Many more will be unmasked and exposed. The genesis of their outcry is in their frustration," said the home minister. He said the gang that had been operating in the BMC under the blessings of Uddhav Thackeray faces action. "Their outcry is expected. I don't want to comment on the statements they have made in a state of agitation," he said.

Rs 12,000 cr
Worth of the irregularities the SIT will probe