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Mumbai: In a scathing attack on the Maharashtra government, Shiv Sena MLC Anil Parab asked why BMC's additional municipal commissioner Sudhakar Shinde is not being transferred despite completing his term. Shinde is known to be an upright official who is known to be proactive. Hence the attack on him has caused considerable disquiet in civic circles.
Parab stated on Monday that “after the completion of a three-year deputation period, only a five-month extension is allowed. But the government was not moving him out."
The Centre had instructed that Shinde, who belongs to the Indian Revenue Service, be recalled as soon as the Lok Sabha elections are over. However, the Centre's directive was not being acted upon by the state government, he alleged.
The BMC has come under fire for its handling of civic issues, with Parab pointing out that it has spent a staggering Rs. 35 crores on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Mumbai. "How can BMC funds be used for the Prime Minister's election tour? It’s nothing short of corruption!", he said.
“Sudhakar Shinde is not an Indian Administrative Service officer; he is part of the Indian Revenue Service. Essentially, his appointment to the municipal corporation is inappropriate. He is related to BJP MLA Ram Shinde."
Parab's anger is palpable, as he lamented that the government seems more interested in shielding Shinde than upholding the law. "If you don't respect the law, if you don't count the opposition, and if you treat the Speaker's instructions as nothing more than garbage, then these discussions are meaningless!"
The situation has reached a boiling point, with Parab warning that if Shinde is not removed immediately, he will take legal action.
Ravi Raja, former opposition leader of the BMC, stated, "For the last 2-3 terms, officers in the BMC have been sent from Mantralaya, and Mr. Shinde is one of them. By now, he should have been relieved, and the next person should have taken charge. Notably, there is currently nobody to question the authorities. If the standing committee was there, it would have addressed this issue. However, the state government is taking its own sweet time and sending officers at its convenience." Shinde was unavailable for comment
