Did the Maha Govt Mislead the Opposition on the Public Security Bill?

Mumbai, July 18 (NationPress) Following the conclusion of the three-week Monsoon session in Maharashtra, opposition parties accused the MahaYuti-led state government of misleading them regarding the contentious Public Security Bill, which has been passed by both Houses of the State Legislature.

During a press conference, former Minister and NCP-SP legislator Jayant Patil stated that the opposition had proposed several recommendations during discussions in the Joint Select Committee concerning the Public Safety Bill; however, these were not fully incorporated into the final legislation presented in the Legislature.

"The state government had assured us that they would integrate and act upon the suggestions made by the Opposition. Yet, when the Bill was introduced in the House, the commitments made were glaringly absent. They endorsed just three or four of our proposed points, neglecting many others. This amounts to a betrayal of the Opposition," Patil remarked. He also mentioned that they met with the Governor to express their concerns and requested a reconsideration of the Bill.

The Opposition Leader in the State Council, Ambadas Danve, indicated that the Opposition team has urged Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan not to approve the Public Security Bill and to return it to the state government for further evaluation.

He asserted that the state government has centralized all executive powers under the guise of public security.

Patil also criticized the MahaYuti regime for procrastinating on its electoral promise of a crop loan waiver, suggesting that the government plans to announce it just before the next Assembly elections set for 2029.

"When the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government was in power, under Uddhav Thackeray, we did not defer loan waivers by forming a committee. Instead, we declared the crop loan waiver in the Winter session of December 2019. By establishing a committee now, the current government is merely attempting to secure votes for the upcoming local body elections," he asserted.

Danve condemned the MahaYuti government as being "anti-people."

"Despite significant issues with bogus seeds, no legislation has been enacted. Numerous Ministers wasted time in this session, displaying a lack of seriousness during the proceedings. The government, which stands against the populace and Maharashtra, has failed to fulfill its responsibilities," he remarked.

Danve further noted that during the tenure of the MahaYuti government, public debt has surged from Rs 9.2 lakh crore to over Rs 10 lakh crore.

He accused the state government of engaging in corruption, contract manipulation, theft, and commission schemes, while neglecting the essential financial needs of the citizens.