Oppn MLAs protest at Vidhan Bhavan demanding Minister Zirwal's ouster over bribery row

Mumbai, Feb 24 (PTI) Opposition legislators in Maharashtra staged a protest at the Vidhan Bhavan on Tuesday, seeking the resignation of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Minister Narhari Zirwal over recent bribery allegations involving his office staffer at Mantralaya.

Protesting MLAs from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) gathered on the steps of the legislature building ahead of the day's proceedings, raising slogans against the BJP-led Mahayuti government, accusing it of shielding a "corrupt minister" and seeking immediate action against him in the wake of the ACB arresting a clerk from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on bribery charges earlier this month.

The ACB on February 12 caught FDA clerk Rajendra Dherange red-handed while allegedly accepting a Rs 35,000 bribe at Mantralaya, and Minister Zirwal's private secretary, Dr Ramdas Gade, was also relieved of his post and directed to report back to his parent department following a sting operation related to bribery.

Congress Legislative Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar, Leader of the Congress in the council Satej Patil, NCP (SP) leader Shashikant Shinde and MLA Sandeep Kshirsagar were among those who participated in the demonstration on the steps of the Vidhan Bhavan on the second day of the budget session.

Following the backlash over the instances of bribery in his department, Zirwal had said that he would resign if any link was established between him and the accused clerk.

The Congress has targeted the BJP-led Mahayuti government in the state, claiming that corruption had reached the highest administrative levels of the state. PTI ND ARU