Taking up the issue of inflated prices of pulses, leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil on Wednesday said he would gift pulses to all the ministers in the state government as a Diwali gift. Mr Vikhe-Patil also termed the remarks of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis about non-cooperation from bureaucracy as “unfortunate” and advised the chief
minister not to blame officials. “The government has failed to maintain the prices of the pulses and the rates have gone up. I am going to send pulses to all the ministers so that they realise how the common people are suffering. Shiv Sena said
they have got an assurance from the government that the rates would be brought down to '120 per kg. But why don’t they distribute pulses to the people with the money they have collected through corruption in nullah cleaning works in the BMC,” Mr Vikhe-Patil said.
Taking a dig at Mr Fadnavis over his remarks on the bureaucracy, the Opposition leader said the former is trying to hide his failures and making the officials a scapegoat. “The
comments of the chief minister against the bureaucracy are unfortunate. He should not cover up his own failures by making the bureaucracy a scapegoat. He is not willing to give direction and vision to the bureaucracy. It is only then the desired results can be achieved. Also half the bureaucracy has association with Reshimbaug (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh headquarters) and is loyal to the RSS,” he said.
Similarly, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik, speaking to reporters, wondered if the bureaucracy, which is known to be efficient and meritorious, is being asked to do any illegal work. “If that is so, the law abiding bureaucrats will never listen to Fadnavis,” he said.
Criticising the chief minister for targeting the bureaucracy, Mr Malik said 50 per cent of the bureaucracy is in government service by taking benefits of reservations.
“The RSS has recently spoken out against reservations. Fadnavis is targeting the bureaucracy to create a divide on caste lines,” he said. Mr Malik said there is unrest in the bureaucracy after the chief minister’s remarks. “Fadnavis is trying to run the government with few privately appointed OSDs (officers on special duty). The clarification given by the chief minister’s office that appointing OSDs is an old practice of Congress-NCP is not true. We appointed OSDs, but the appointment was made from the government cadre only,” he said.
