Congress slams Devendra Fadnavis for 'Magnetic Maharashtra' Wizcraft link

The Maharashtra Congress on Friday criticised Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for roping in event management firm Wizcraft to handle the 'Magnetic Maharashtra' conference that will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday. Addressing a press conference, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Sachin Sawant demanded to know why a company like Wizcraft, which he claimed was blacklisted, was being favoured.

"Two years ago, after a fire at Girgaum Chowpatty during a programme connected to the 'Make in India' celebrations, Fadnavis had told the Legislative Council that no contracts would be given, henceforth, to the company," Sawant said. He said that an FIR had also been filed against the firm for negligence and flouting safety rules in connection with the fire, adding that a chargesheet was still in the process of being filed almost two years after the incident. At the time, Sawant said, Fadnavis had assured the House that action against Wizcraft would serve as a lesson to all event organisers to adhere to standard operating procedures (sop). "Has the Chief Minister forgotten this assurance made on the floor of the House? Just saying that CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) had given the contract to the company for Magnetic Maharashtra is not enough. Fadnavis has to clarify," Sawant said.

He added that the party leaders would decide how to raise the issue in the House to prove that it was a breach of privilege of the House. Hitting out at the 'Magnetic Maharashtra' conference, Sawant said that the Fadnavis government was more about slogans and less about work, adding that farmers were committing suicide and unemployement was on the rise. Sawant said the the Business Reform Action Plan published by the Centre showed that Maharashtra had dropped to the 13th position from number 8 in 2015.

He said the recently announced Integrated Industrial Area (IIA) policy included tribal and forest land, buffer zones, eco sensitive zones and mangroves, adding that this fact had been conveniently not mentioned in the cabinet press release. "Is this transperancy?" Sawant asked, claiming that the issue was serious as the green cover in the state was receding. Sawant alleged that the IIA policy was to favour a few industrialists while the MSME sector (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) which generated the maximum employment, was being neglected.

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