Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut has accused Maharashtra minister Gulabrao Patil of being involved in a scam worth Rs 400 crore during the Covid-19 crisis. In his weekly column ‘Rokhthok’ in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana, Raut also criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for remaining silent on the Pulwama and Kharcha incidents.
Raut claimed to have evidence of corruption against Patil, stating that the minister had purchased overpriced equipment during the pandemic. He alleged that Patil had paid Rs 15 lakhs for ventilators that should have cost only Rs 2 lakhs.
Raut also addressed the deaths of soldiers in Pulwama, sadhus in Palghar, and 14 followers of Appasaheb Dharm Adhikari in Navi Mumbai, calling them culpable homicides. He criticized the government’s handling of the deaths in each of these cases, stating that there was different justice in each of them.
The deaths of 40 jawans in the Pulwama attack in 2019 were also blamed on the government by ex-Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik, according to Raut. He questioned why there was no action taken against those responsible for the deaths.
Raut’s accusations have raised concerns about corruption and justice in the country. The allegations against Patil are serious, and if proven true, would be a severe blow to the government’s efforts to tackle the pandemic. It remains to be seen how the government will respond to these allegations and whether any action will be taken against those responsible for the deaths in Pulwama, Palghar, and Navi Mumbai.