Sena holds Fadnavis responsible for 'scams' in BMC

Mumbai: Virtually pinning the blame of the alleged "scams" in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Coporation (BMC) on Devendra Fadnavis, the Shiv Sena on Saturday alleged that it was the Chief Minister who was responsible for approving proposals in his capacity as the state Urban Development Minister. "The chief of a municipal corporation is the municipal commissioner who is appointed by the chief minister. Whenever proposals are approved by the standing committee of the BMC, it goes to the municipal commissioner and the Urban Development Department for final approvals. The UDD is headed by the chief minister," Sena MP Rahul Shewale told reporters here. "Throughout the process, the chief minister is involved. He should thus, clarify who is responsible for corruption," Shewale, a former chairman of the BMC's standing committee, added. BJP leaders, including Kirit Somaiya and Ashish Shelar, have repeatedly been chiding the Sena, alleging corruption in the BMC, which is controlled by Uddhav Thackeray's party. Somaiya had recently said he would come out with a "black paper" on graft and malpractices in the civic body. Shewale claimed that the "maximum" number of proceedings initiated by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) were against BJP corporators, adding that there was "maximum corruption in 30 departments" of the state government which were with the BJP. "There is no transparency in the (functioning of the) Home department under the chief minister. They should thus, learn the meaning of corruption before levelling allegations," he said. Responding to Somaiya's allegations of "mafia raj" in the BMC, Shewale said the Sena was ready to disclose the names of the "mafias" and sought to know if Fadnavis will take action against them. "If you have the courage, take action. When Somaiya is alleging a road scam in the BMC, does he not know that a chargesheet has been filed against all the contractors responsible and that the BMC has not even disbursed money to those who are responsible?" the Sena MP asked. He also alleged that those who have been accused in the "garbage scam", had "sponsored BJP programmes" in the city.