Maharashtra govt should fulfil employees' demand for old pension scheme: Uddhav Thackeray

Uddhav Thackeray. Pic/PTI

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday came out in support of government employees who have been seeking restoration of the old pension scheme (OPS), reported the PTI.

Uddhav Thackeray said that the government should fulfil their demands immediately.

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Addressing government employees who gathered at the Yeshwant Stadium in Nagpur district of Maharashtra to press for their demand, former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said that if his party comes to power, it will fulfil their demand, as per the PTI.

"Today, I am not the chief minister and my party and its election symbol have been stolen. I could have taken a decision if I had been the chief minister. But, I have come to give you strength and faith," he said.

"Government comes and goes, but the faith that you have in us, I want to assure you that the Shiv Sena will fight with you in every step you take," Uddhav Thackeray said.

Notably, several government and semi-government employees in Maharashtra have been demanding restoration of the OPS, which was discontinued in the state in 2005.

Under the OPS, a government employee gets a monthly pension equivalent to 50 per cent his/her last drawn salary. There was no need for contribution by employees.

Under the New Pension Scheme, a state government employee contributes 10 per cent of his/her basic salary plus dearness allowance with the state making a matching contribution. The money is then invested in one of the several pension funds approved by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) and the returns are market-linked.

Uddhav Thackeray told members of the gathering that while they were demanding their rights, the government was "not willing" to help them.

"Do not stop your fight until you win," he said.

Uddhav Thackeray told the gathering that the government may "misguide" them with false promises.

"Do not fall prey to false promises of the government. Time has come to finish politics of treachery and falsehood from Maharashtra. It is time to show doors to this insensitive government," he said.

Uddhav Thackeray also claimed the votes cast in ballots by government employees in the recently held elections in four states were against the ruling parties (in those states).

Later, talking to reporters in the Vidhan Bhavan premises in Nagpur, where the winter session of the state legislature is underway, Thackeray said the government should fulfil the government employees' demand of OPS immediately.

He also took a swipe at Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal, who along with Ajit Pawar and some other leaders joined the Eknath Shinde government in July this year.

Uddhav Thackeray said that he will visit Chhagan Bhujbal to eat sweets because the investigation against him (in an alleged corruption case) has been suddenly closed.

"We want to know what miracle he has performed that the investigation against him has been closed," he said, according to the PTI.

Uddhav Thackeray further said in sarcastic remarks that after the winter session of the state legislature ends, he will go to meet NCP leader Praful Patel (who supports Ajit Pawar's NCP faction) for dinner and request him "mirchi kam jevan dya" (serve food with less chilly).

Notably, Patel was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate in the past in connection with its money laundering probe linked to alleged illegal assets of gangster Iqbal Mirchi, who was an aide of fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

Patel, who was with Sharad Pawar at that time, had claimed there wasn't even a "single paisa worth property transaction".

On the Backward Class Commission chairman Justice Anand Nirgude (retired) stepping down from the post, Thackeray claimed it was being said that he was forced to resign under pressure from a minister and sought to know who is that minister.

Leader of opposition in the Maharashtra legislative assembly Vijay Wadettiwar on Tuesday alleged that members of the state Backward Class Commission were being forced to resign, and informed the House that its chairman Justice Nirgude (retired) has also stepped down from the post on December 4.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief said that the government should reveal why this was kept secret from the House.

(with PTI inputs)