Mumbai, February 22 Senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Bhaskar Jadhav said that the opposition would boycott the customary tea party hosted by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday, the eve of the Maharashtra legislature's Budget Session.
Fadnavis had personally written to senior members inviting them to the event, which is a tradition on the eve of a legislative session, Jadhav added.
"The ruling party is arrogant and shows little respect towards the opposition. Since there is no respect, no decency and no regard for the Constitution, we have decided to decline the high tea invitation," Jadhav told reporters.
He also criticised the trade deal between India and the United States, claiming that it would adversely affect cotton growers and fisherfolk from the state.
However, the Fadnavis government has expressed no regret over the Union government's decision; therefore, it was decided to boycott the high tea invitation, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader added.
Jadhav said another reason for the opposition to decline the invite was due to the Maharashtra government's "ambiguous stand" on the death of Ajit Pawar in a plane accident.
He also criticised the state government over the execution of the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme, claiming that before the 2024 assembly elections, it had disbursed Rs 1,500 per month to women without any verification and "bought votes", and later declared more than 50 lakh women ineligible on trivial grounds.
And now, many women will not receive the allowance because they have not completed e-KYC, he said.
Congress legislative party leader Vijay Wadettiwar said that 22 farmers had died by suicide in Yavatmal, while 76 had ended their lives in the Marathwada region, alleging that the state government had done nothing about it.
He also criticised the state government over the memoranda of understanding signed at the World Economic Forum in Davos, pointing out that many of the companies were located in Maharashtra itself, and some did not have sufficient capital.
The Opposition will demand a white paper on the matter, he said.
He also questioned why, if such large investments were coming to Maharashtra, the government could not increase the monthly stipend of the Ladki Bahin scheme funds from Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,000.
"Since December, Maharashtra had sought Rs 29,000 crore from the Union government but had not yet received it," he said, alleging that Gujarat received favourable treatment over Maharashtra.
The Congress leader claimed that nearly 600 acres of land near Nagpur, classified as reserved forest land, had been given to the Adani Group on lease at Rs 1 lakh per acre and alleged that the government had also permitted a mining project adjacent to the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve.
"When the Maha Vikas Aghadi was in power, it had opposed the decision and did not grant permission," he said.
He also claimed that 1,57,000 women and girls were missing in Maharashtra.
Satej Patil, leader of the Congress in the legislative council, stated that nearly 70 lakh youths had registered themselves as unemployed in the state.
He also criticised the Rs 1.02 lakh crore Shaktipeeth Mahamarg project, saying it was unnecessary and that nobody had asked for it, yet the state was pushing it.
Patil also alleged that a raid on Minister Narhari Zirwal's office in Mantralaya could not have taken place without the consent of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
"If Fadnavis seriously wished to improve the state's image, he should have sought Zirwal's resignation," Patil said, adding that if the Anti-Corruption Bureau in Maharashtra is truly autonomous and under no pressure, Opposition leaders would honour its officials.
