Congress Legislative Party Leader Vijay Wadettiwar on Tuesday launched a wide-ranging attack on the Maharashtra state government during a debate in the Legislative Assembly, raising concerns over smart meter installations, a reported ₹4,000 crore drop in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) fixed deposits, scholarship failures, land grabbing, and alleged irregularities in multiple government schemes.

Smart Meters and Inflated Bills

Wadettiwar alleged that despite government assurances that smart meters would not be imposed on citizens, installations are being carried out forcibly on the ground. He said complaints of electricity bills inflated to amounts running into lakhs of rupees are pouring in from across the state, leaving households severely burdened. The Congress leader urged the government to intervene immediately and halt what he described as coercive implementation.

BMC Finances and Monsoon Safety Failures

Turning to the financial health of the BMC, Wadettiwar questioned the nearly ₹4,000 crore decline in the civic body's fixed deposits within a single year, demanding accountability for where the funds were spent. He linked the financial lapses directly to civic failures, noting that the season's first rains have already resulted in multiple deaths, manhole accidents, and tree-fall incidents — pointing to a breakdown in basic public safety infrastructure.

Scholarship Crisis and Student Suicide Attempt

Wadettiwar drew the House's attention to the case of a minority-community student enrolled at the University of Sydney in Australia, who has not received sanctioned government scholarship funds covering tuition fees and a living allowance. The Congress leader revealed that the financial distress drove the student to attempt suicide, and demanded the immediate release of the scholarship amount.

Land Grabbing, SIT Demands, and Brahmapuri District Status

Wadettiwar alleged that a nexus of land mafias, corrupt officials, and influential local elements has illegally set up industries on government land in Uran, Panvel, and Pen under the cover of JNPT operations. He claimed this racket generates black money of ₹50 crore to ₹100 crore every month and demanded a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe. He also called for SIT inquiries into a multi-crore stamp duty evasion and illegal document registration racket, and demanded independent probes into the Kothrud SRA case and TDR scams involving bogus slums in Pimpri-Chinchwad.

On agricultural land acquisition, Wadettiwar warned that fertile farmland being acquired for the MIDC in Gondpipri, Chandrapur, and for the Gadchiroli airport project is being taken against the will of locals. He noted that villagers have barred their local MLA from entering in protest, and questioned why forest department land was not used instead. He also demanded that Brahmapuri, currently part of Chandrapur district, be granted independent district status.

Other Key Demands

Wadettiwar alleged that around 50 houses under the Indira Awas Yojana were demolished in Shirdi and demanded immediate action against the Shirdi Chief Officer. He called for a statewide review of the AMRUT scheme, saying it has failed to deliver expected results despite crores of rupees in expenditure. He also demanded that the monthly stipend for revenue servants (Mahasul Sevak) be raised to at least ₹25,000 and that they be absorbed into regular government service. Concluding his address, Wadettiwar called on the government to move beyond assurances and deliver concrete decisions, transparent investigations, and strict punishment for the guilty.