Pawar deal: Pune land row adds to Mahayuti’s woes

THE BJP-led Mahayuti government in Maharashtra finds itself in a tight spot weeks ahead of its first anniversary. A row has erupted over the allegedly illegal purchase of 40-acre government land, reportedly having a market value of around Rs 1,800 crore, by a company linked to Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s son Parth Pawar. The Rs 300-crore deal — with a stamp duty waiver — has now been cancelled; if the deputy CM is to be believed, his son was unaware that the land in Pune belonged to the government. This claim has predictably been rejected by the Opposition, which is seeking a judicial probe into the case, besides Ajit’s resignation on moral grounds.

It’s odd that Parth’s name does not figure in the two FIRs registered regarding the shady land deal. Moreover, his father’s attempt to distance himself from the matter is nothing but a ploy to evade accountability. A couple of months ago, the deputy CM — who also holds the finance portfolio — was left red-faced after a woman IPS officer circulated a video clip in which he allegedly rebuked her for taking action against illegal mining. Now, he has landed in much bigger trouble. Ajit heads the Nationalist Congress Party, a junior partner in the ruling coalition. The latest controversy has compounded the woes of the Mahayuti, which is already grappling with discord between the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. The recent detection of glaring irregularities in the state government’s flagship scheme for women — Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana — dealt another blow to the alliance.

Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare has rightly said that if a minister’s children are involved in any wrongdoing, it’s the minister who should be held responsible. The BJP, which prefers to take the moral high ground, faces a litmus test. Will it go soft on a tainted ally or take strict action as per law? At stake is the credibility of the party which claims to have zero tolerance for corruption.