'Insensitive' Maharashtra govt indulging in 'five-star luxury' on public money for Marathwada cabinet meet: Nana Patole

Mumbai: Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Friday accused the state government of spending several crore rupees on cabinet meetings and rubbing salt on the wounds of people affected by drought-like conditions in Marathwada.

Talking to reporters about the cabinet meeting scheduled to be held in Aurangabad on September 16, Patole alleged the chief minister, ministers and officials were being put up at a five-star hotel on taxpayers' money.

"Even as farmers are dying, the state government indulges in five-star luxury on public money. It will just make some false promises and walk away," the Congress leader said.

In Marathwada, farmer suicides are on the rise and the demand for the Maratha reservation has also intensified, he said.

Despite the grim situation in the state, especially in Marathwada, the chief minister, ministers, and officials are being put up in a lavish five-star hotel using taxpayers' money, he alleged.

"Spending millions on a cabinet meeting while people struggle with rising costs is like rubbing salt on the wounds of people in Marathwada," Patole said while accusing the government of being insensitive and thick-skinned.

"If the cabinet meeting in Aurangabad is being held to address the concerns of people in Marathwada, then it is a welcome move. But why the extravagant display of wealth for it? During previous cabinet meetings in Aurangabad, all chief ministers stayed in the government guesthouse," he said.

However, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will be staying in the most luxurious and star-rated hotel and reservations have also been made for the deputy chief ministers, state ministers and officials, he said.

"Crores of rupees are being spent on hotel stays and other arrangements such as vehicles for officers and staff. There was no need for such extravagance. Why can't they stay in a simple government guesthouse to understand the issues of Marathwada's people?" the former assembly speaker questioned.

The government isn't interested in helping people and all they want to do is put on a show, he said.

Just like the earlier meeting on Maratha reservations, the chief minister and his cabinet will come to Aurangabad and "hold a meeting, speak, and then just walk away after making empty promises to the people of Marathwada", Patole said.

"There is a severe drought in Marathwada. Almost all monsoon crops in every district of the region have failed. Farmers have incurred massive losses. But the government hasn't provided any assistance to these farmers. The onion subsidy announced by the government has not been distributed," Patole said.

The government claims it doesn't have funds to provide scholarships to students from the Other Backward Classes, and citing increased expenses on the salaries of government employees, it has decided to hire contract workers at minimum wages, he alleged.

"Despite all this, the thick-skinned government is wasting public money by organising programmes to showcase its achievements. This insensitive government has splurged on advertising events, and now it will waste public money on cabinet meetings," the Congress leader alleged.

Meanwhile, the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar asked if the legislators and state government officials were travelling to Aurangabad as tourists.

"Marathwada is reeling under drought-like conditions. The chief minister, the two deputy chief ministers, ministers and bureaucrats have been booked in five-star hotels, where one meal costs Rs 1,500. Several cars have been hired for the visit," he claimed.