By Rehan Ansari, TwoCircles.net,
Mumbai: The first budget session of Maharashtra Assembly, after newly appointed Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan assumed office in November 2010 in the wake of Adarsh Housing Society scam, began here on Monday 14th March. The session is expected to be stormy as the opposition will corner the state government on many counts.
The Shiv Sena-BJP alliance boycotted the Tea Party on the eve of the session on Sunday giving a signal that the 6-weeks long session will be stormy and will take on the Chief Minister’s role in the appointment of tainted bureaucrat PJ Thomas as the CVC.
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Strangely, Maharashtra Nav Nirman Sena, which usually doesn’t support Shiv Sena-BJP alliance, also boycotted the Tea Party thrown by the ruling Congress-NCP alliance. It’s reported in the media that MNS, in its try of assertion, will move a no-confidence motion against Chavan.
Deputy Chief Minister and finance minister Ajit Pawar will present his first budget for the year 2011-12 on March 23.
Besides the budget, the session will discuss 18 bills including the most important 50% reservation of women in local self government bodies in Maharashtra to which cabinet already has given its approval.
Muslims will also look at this session curiously to see the state government stand on Hindu extremist group Sanatan Sanstha, allegedly found involved in terror related cases in Mumbai and Thane.
Talking to TwoCircles.net, Abu Asim Azmi, MLA of Samajwadi Party, said: “We will raise the issue of ban on Sanatan Sanstha and the release of Malegaon blast accused.” He criticized the government for dilly-dallying tactics regarding ban on the group.
“What is the Congress-NCP government waiting for? Why is it not banning the Sanatan Sanstha despite the recommendation by the slain ATS Chief of Maharashtra Hemant Karkare in 2008?” he asked. He reminded that it’s the Congress who went to the Supreme Court when a tribunal lifted the ban on SIMI.
He said, “SIMI was banned because of the fiery speeches of its leaders and provocative posters but here the members of Sanatan Sanstha and Abhinav Bharat are allegedly involved in the blast cases, recorded CD of Swami exposed that they had their own flag and was trying to wage war against India, yet the government is still thinking.”
Muslims of Maharashtra are also keeping a close eye on the stand of the state and specially the Muslim MLAs on the accused of Malegaon 2006 blast case.
After the confessional statement of RSS pracharak and terror accused Swami Aseemanad that Malegaon Blast 2006 is the handiwork of his team, the demand for the release of 9 accused was repeatedly made by the Kul Jama’ati Tanzeem and other NGOs in Mumbai and Maharashtra.