Shivaji Memorial Project: Opposition demands judicial probe, fresh tenders.

A day after The Indian Express reported that Vinayak Mete, chairman of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Memorial Project Implementation, Monitoring and Co-ordination, had himself written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis last month seeking an inquiry into alleged irregularities in the project, Opposition parties in the state demanded a judicial probe in the matter and sought that the current tendering process be scrapped and tenders invited afresh.

“It is a criminal offence to make changes in the original tender and optimise the cost. So, a judicial probe should be ordered into the matter. The current tender process should be scrapped and the fresh tenders for the project should be invited,” said Dhananjay Munde, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council.

Recently, The Indian Express reported that Mete in September wrote to Fadnavis asking for a full-fledged inquiry into alleged irregularities in the project citing fears that the project to build the world’s tallest statue could run into financial and legal hurdles later. While claiming that the project is being pushed “unethically”, Mete alleged that the “project consultant and contractor in collusion with officials in Mantralaya” committed various illegalities.

Mete, a legislator in the Upper House of the state legislature and president of Shiv Sangram, a Maratha organisation that has for several years championed the project to build an equestrian statue of the warrior king in the Arabian Sea off Mumbai’s Marine Drive, has also threatened to move a breach of privilege motion in the Maharashtra Legislative Council if an inquiry is not ordered into the role of officials.

Recently, Munde said the officials involved should be removed from their posts. “If the contractor L&T is found involved in the irregularities and corruption, then it should be blacklisted,” he added.

Sachin Sawant, Congress spokesperson, termed Mete’s allegation serious. “The Chief Minister must immediately offer a clarification on this. If the allegations are found true, the chief minister should resign,” said Sawant. The project to build the Shivaji statue in the Arabian Sea is a flagship programme of the BJP-led government in the state. In December 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the memorial and conducted a ‘jal poojan’ at the site.

THE INDIAN EXPRESS