Mumbai, Feb 19: Activist Anjali Damania on Wednesday accused NCP leader Dhananjay Munde of facilitating corruption as an agriculture minister in 2024 by issuing orders without any genuine cabinet decisions being taken.
She demanded that Munde, the incumbent Food and Civil Supplies Minister, be sacked and never made minister in the future.
Munde was not available for comments.
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Damania alleged when Munde was agriculture minister, he misled officials and people by claiming Cabinet approvals for significant financial decisions in September 2024, including the allocation of funds.
“Munde cannot be saved. He has been spreading lies regarding decisions that were never taken. The state cabinet meetings held on the 23rd and 30th of September 2024 didn’t take any decision related to the agriculture sector,” the activist claimed in a press conference in Mumbai.
Damania claimed Munde had asked officials to release funds on an “undated letter” projecting it as cabinet decisions taken during a meeting held on September 30, 2024.
“If the state cabinet has not decided anything related to the agriculture sector then why Munde wrote such a misleading letter? What were his intentions? If a minister is acting in such a manner, he should not be kept on his post now, and never be made minister in future,” she demanded.
Damania claimed she possessed the undated letter.
According to Damania, Rs 700 crore was separately allocated, including Rs 200 crore for solar-powered battery pumps, through government resolutions (GRs) in October 2024 even though no formal cabinet decision was recorded during the above meetings.
“Munde does not deserve to be on this post. He misleads the public by claiming decisions were taken when in reality, no such decisions have been made,” she claimed.
She dared Munde to provide any documentary evidence to prove such Cabinet decisions were ever taken.
These latest allegations against Munde follow previous claims made by Damania, including a Rs 88 crore scam in the Agriculture Department during Munde’s previous role as Agriculture Minister, in the MVA government.
In response to the past accusations, Munde had announced the filing of a defamation suit against Damania, accusing her of spreading false information to tarnish his reputation and damage the image of Beed district.
Damania further alleged that the investigation into Massajog village sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh would not progress if Munde continues to be a minister.
Munde’s close aide Walmik Karad was arrested in connection with an extortion case allegedly linked to the murder of Deshmukh last December. (PTI)
