Sitting amid the blackened remains of his home, 32-year-old Nikesh Gawali carefully broke open a half-melted plastic box with a screwdriver. His hands shook slightly, not out of fear, but out of hope. “I’m trying to find my daughter Aarti’s gold earrings,” he said quietly, still focused on the box. “She’s just five. I got them made recently after months of labour work.” The plastic box, warped and blackened by heat, was one of the few things left from his two-room house on the outskirts of Dhamangaon village . All around him lay ash, broken tin sheets and charred wooden beams. The walls had cracked under the heat and the front room’s tin roof had caved in completely. What remained was a blackened debris all around - almost nothing to suggest a home once stood there. Nikesh earns his living as an agricultural labourer, like many in the village. Work is uncertain and depends on the season. Those earrings weren’t just jewellery - they were a small dream, a reward for his hard work,...
The opposition and ruling party members engaged in war of words in Legislative Council on Tuesday demanding resignation of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde against the backdrop of the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court’s decision ordering status quo on a decision taken by Shinde when he was Urban Development minister in the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government of allotting land meant for slum dwellers to private persons.
The tussle between opposition and ruling party members led to adjournment of the house twice for 15 minutes. As both sides were not ready to relent, Deputy Chairperson Neelam Gorhe finally adjourned the house for the day.
Leader of Opposition (LoP) Ambadas Danve raised the issue on point of information. “Shinde during his tenure as the Urban Development Minister of the MVA government directed the NIT to give away 4.5 acre of land acquired for a housing scheme for slum-dwellers to 16 private persons. The land which cost around Rs 83 crore was given by Shinde at just Rs three crore,” alleged Danve.
“Amicus curaie, Adv Anand Parchure in the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) drew attention of the High Court over the issue. After this, the court ordered status quo on the decision of Shinde,” informed Danve.
Danve’s statement sparked uproar among the ruling party members. Cabinet Minister and BJP leader Chandrakant Patil said that Danve should be allowed to speak only after starred questions. Supporting Patil, MLC Pravin Darekar urged the Deputy Chairperson to hold the question hour.
Senior leader Eknath Khadse also jumped into the discussion saying that the allegations against Shinde were very serious as the land of Rs 83 crore was allotted at a throwaway price of Rs 3 crore. Despite knowing that the matter was sub-judice and the NIT chairperson was opposed to the decision, Shinde allotted the land which was an absolute misuse of position, he said and demanded immediate resignation of Shinde.
Later, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the decision was taken by the then CM Vilasrao Deshmukh in July 2007. Out of 49 layouts, 16 remained to get sanction. In 2009 and 2010, GRs were also issued. Meanwhile, the PIL was filed in the court which constituted a committee.
“It was NIT’s fault that the judicial facts were not brought to the notice of the then minister Shinde. Therefore, the court recorded its observations. The court has not rapped the government for the decision,” he said. Regularisation of land parcels has been canceled and its report has been submitted to the court, Fadnavis added.
Protesting opposition members storm well
When Fadnavis was clarifying his stand, the opposition members entered the well and launched heavy sloganeering. They were demanding resignation of CM Shinde. Deputy Chairperson Gorhe adjourned the house for 15 minutes due to interruptions. When house resumed, Fadnavis completed his speech. Later, the house was adjourned due to aggressive protest from both sides.
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