Nana Patole demands two-day special session of Legislature on award function tragedy

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole demanded a two-day special session of the state Legislature to discuss the deaths tied to the Maharashtra Bhushan Award function, blaming the Eknath Shinde government for mismanagement.

Fourteen people have died so far due to sunstroke after the programme was held on Sunday in an open ground in Kharghar area near Mumbai where social worker Appasaheb Dharmadhikari was conferred with the state’s top civilian award by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Patole said mismanagement on the part of the irresponsible state government led to the deaths. He questioned the cause of the deaths saying whether it was due to sunstroke or a stampede. This is an instance of culpable homicide and the Shinde government is hiding the truth.

Congress leader said he has written to Governor Ramesh Bais demanding that a two-day special session of the Legislature be convened to discuss the deaths and take steps to prevent such incidents in the future.

Patole in his letter to the governor said that nearly 20 lakh people who love social worker Dharmadhikari came from all over the state for the event. This function was organised by the state and about Rs 13 crore was spent on it from the government exchequer, he said.

Despite spending so much money, Patole said, not even a tent was erected for the audience. They were made to sit for hours in the hot sun and these people could not even get drinking water. Many had to be admitted to the hospital due to sunstroke. The programme concluded at 1.30 pm on Sunday when the nearest weather station to the spot had recorded a maximum temperature of 38 degrees Celsius.

If this government had any sense of moral responsibility, they would have resigned by now but they continue to occupy the chair. The Shinde government is hiding the truth of the Kharghar incident, but the Congress will hold a press conference in every district of the state on April 24 to bring the truth before the people, Patole said.