The first corruption charge against Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the head of Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena, continued to rock the Nagpur winter session for the second successive day with the Opposition cornering the government in the Nagpur Improvement Trust scam.
The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi continued to seek the resignation of Shinde, the rebel Shiv Sena leader, who had toppled the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress dispensation with the help of the BJP around six months ago.
Leader of Opposition in Council Ambadas Danve of Shiv Sena raised the issue in the House to which members of the ruling side comprising BJP-RSS objected.
The Upper House saw three adjournments as Opposition members were on their feet demanding his resignation.
At the Vidhan Bhavan complex, the MLAs and MLCs of MVA protested and displayed banners demanding that Shinde step down.
Shinde’s role as the Urban Development Minister of the state - a post that he had been holding since 2014 till now - has come under the scanner now because of the ongoing proceedings related to the NIT in the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court.
Last week, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court had questioned the alleged decision of Shinde as the state’s Urban Development Minister to direct the NIT to give away 4.5 acres of land to 16 private individuals when the matter was sub-judice - after it was informed by Advocate Anand Parchure, the amicus curiae.
The court observation came in response to a petition filed by Nagpur-based social activist Anil Wadpalliwar, alleging the NIT gave away land to politicians and others at meager rates. The NIT got less than Rs 2 crore for land that is worth over Rs 83 crore.
Danve and MVA leaders claimed that Shinde had given an order for the regularisation of land allotments.
Coming to the rescue of Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said: “…why are we discussing the issue again in the House? Everybody knows the issue is sub-judice, so why are we discussing it in the House.”