BJP leader Gopinath Munde on Wednesday demanded that Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan declare the “terms of reference” of the white paper that the irrigation department will be issuing. He also demanded a Special Investigation Team (SIT), under a working high court judge, to probe the irregularities in irrigation projects.
Maharashtra BJP on Wednesday declared Mr Munde as the party’s leader to lead its campaign during the 2014 general elections. While party leaders are divided over BJP’s decision to select Mr Munde to take on the Congress-NCP alliance in the Lok Sabha and vidhan sabha elections, the leader has vowed to end the alliance’s rule in the state.
Speaking on the issue of the white paper, Mr Munde said that there are reports that the white paper on irrigation would be a status report. “We do not want a status report…We want to know who looted the state exchequer…The CM should let us know, what he intends to publish as white paper. He should issue the term of reference on white paper in a week or the BJP will carry out a state-wide agitation demanding the same,” he said.
The leader further pointed out that while the budgetary provisions are that of `7,000 crore per year, contracts of projects worth 10 times have been allotted. “The white
paper should give details of all the money spent, which is approximately `40,000 crore,” Mr Munde said. He added that if any minister or officer is guilty of the irregularities, it should be reflected in the white paper and should be brought to book.