‘BJP collecting toll in name of Ram Temple’: Congress leader Nana Patole asks them to submit accounts of funds

Issue of rogue elements extorting in the name of Ayodhya temple leads to slanging match between Shiv Sena and BJP in House

The ruling dispensation and BJP sparred in the legislature over fund generation for Ram Mandir on Thursday, with Congress leader Nana Patole terming it “toll collection”. On Wednesday, CM Uddhav Thackeray raked up the issue in his speech, prompting Opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis to call the Sena ‘extortionists’.

Deputy CM Ajit Pawar at Vidhan Bhavan. Pic/Suresh Karkera

Patole demanded to know under which law the BJP had been collecting donations for the temple. “They are collecting toll in the name of Ram Temple,” he said, asking the BJP to submit the accounts of the funds collected in the past 30 years. 

In response, Fadnavis challenged the government to probe the funding. “Have a separate debate on this subject. We aren’t discussing Ram Temple today, but debating other issues,” he said. The Opposition benches reacted angrily to Patole’s remarks and shouted slogans. The house was adjourned for 10 minutes before normalcy was restored.

Privilege motion moved against Ajit Pawar
Senior BJP legislator Sudhir Mungantiwar moved a breach of privilege motion against deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar alleging that the head of finance and planning department hasn’t kept the promise of forming statutory development boards for Vidarbha, Marathwada and Rest of Maharashtra. In-charge speaker has sent it to the privilege committee of the lower house.

Opposition leaders Devendra Fadnavis and Sudhir Mungantiwar

In another instance, Mungantiwar wanted to know if the MVA was inviting the President’s Rule in Maharashtra. He said the government shouldn’t cry foul if the delay in electing the Speaker resulted in a constitutional crisis that would enforce the President’s Rule. He said the Speaker’s position had never been vacant for a longer period like in case of the current house. The MVA hasn’t decided to hold the election in the Budget Session citing several legislators’ inability to attend the house due to the COVID outbreak.    

The Opposition has been aggressive over the delay in forming the development boards whose terms expired last year. Pawar had told the Assembly in the ongoing session that the government would restructure the boards once Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari accepted the Cabinet’s recommendation for appointing 12 nominees to the upper house. Koshyari has been withholding the decision since October last.

Pawar faced the BJP’s wrath after suggesting the barter, and on Thursday he faced the privilege motion. During a debate on financial matters, Pawar promised allocation of adequate funds to the regions as per the formula decided by the statutory arrangement. The Governor directs such a formula when the boards are in functioning for the backward areas, but since the government and Raj Bhavan are engaged in unprecedented political sparring, Koshyari is unlikely to get to use the powers.

Hostel allegations false: Maha govt
The government on Thursday said there was no truth in the allegations that women were stripped and forced to dance by policemen at a hostel in Jalgaon district. Speaking in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, state Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said a team of senior female police officers had visited the hostel for an inquiry into the alleged incident. “There are 17 women inmates. Forty one witnesses were questioned. It was found that there is no truth in the allegations. No male police official was present. It is a women’s hostel and policemen are not allowed inside,” he said.

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