Mumbai, July 10 (IANS) Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) on Friday launched an attack on Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, accusing his government of running a “mobocracy” and executing a “global-standard corruption scandal” in the Mumbai-Pune Expressway ‘Missing Link’ project.

A scathing editorial in the party’s mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ condemned the aggressive language used by CM Fadnavis against the opposition, questioning if the administration plans to physically silence those raising voices against corruption. The editorial alleged a massive Rs 2,500 crore inflation in the budget of the ‘Missing Link’ project, which was built to bypass the ghat sections on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.

According to the editorial, the original estimated cost of the 13-kilometre project — comprising two tunnels, an eight-lane road, and two bridges — was Rs 4,797.55 crore. “Even with standard escalations, it should not have crossed Rs 5,500 crore. However, the final expenditure skyrocketed to Rs 7,180 crore,” it said.

The editorial pointed out that the project cost an astonishing Rs 540 crore per kilometre, calling it a “world record in corruption”. The Thackeray camp mocked the quality of work, stating that the project started leaking profusely during the very first rains of the season. “If someone does research on the corruption of this Missing Link, they could easily earn a doctorate from Cambridge or Oxford University,” it remarked.

The editorial heavily criticised CM Fadnavis for allegedly warning the public and opposition by saying, “Questioning our corruption defames Maharashtra. I will deal with those who defame the state.” It slammed the CM for using words like “hired hands” and “dogs” in the Legislative Assembly to describe citizens and opposition leaders who questioned the state’s spending.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena argued that the language of “dealing with” or “seeing to” opponents is the dialect of gangsters, not statesmen. It questioned what exactly CM Fadnavis intends to do to his critics: “Are you going to cut the tongues of those speaking against corruption, or are you going to shoot them down like Karsevaks?”

The editorial alleged that money minted from such corruption is being funnelled into poaching MLAs and MPs. It claimed CM Fadnavis holds no emotional bond with the state, acting instead like “Mughals and the British” whose only policy was to “loot and leave”.

Drawing a sharp contrast between current rulers and past leaders, the editorial noted that Maharashtra has a rich legacy of cultured Chief Ministers. It invoked the memory of the state’s first Chief Minister, Yashwantrao Chavan, praising his wisdom, intellect, restraint, tolerance, and statesmanship.

The editorial highlighted that former Chief Ministers from various parties, including Vasantrao Naik, Vasantdada Patil, Sharad Pawar, Vilasrao Deshmukh, Manohar Joshi, and Uddhav Thackeray, understood the weight of their words and never used the Assembly floor to shield the corrupt or threaten the opposition.

“Today, the state is not being governed; a ‘Champat Rai’ style cabinet is plundering Maharashtra. If CM Fadnavis and his associates think they are flawless, they are mistaken. Their only major achievement has been running a government by purchasing MLAs and MPs for Rs 50 crore each. This is a mockery of democracy,” the editorial concluded.

–IANS

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