Mumbai, April 14 (IANS) The Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Harshwardhan Sapkal on Tuesday expressed concern over the death of two MBA students allegedly due to an overdose after attending a music event on the night of April 11.​

He claimed that the illegal drug trade is flourishing with the alleged patronage of the government, accusing the BJP-Mahayuti government of pushing Maharashtra’s youth into the grip of drugs. ​

Sapkal said that at a live music concert held at the NESCO complex in Goregaon, alcohol and drugs were being consumed openly. ​

He alleged that the police and government machinery remained inactive until two people lost their lives due to drug use, and now only a show of action has begun. ​

“How did the police fail to detect a drug party involving 4,000-5,000 youngsters in one part of Mumbai?” he asked.​

He further alleged that such drug and alcohol parties are taking place openly right under the nose of the Mumbai Police and government agencies, which reflects a massive failure of the Home Department and the entire system. ​

He blamed the reckless governance of the BJP–Mahayuti government for dragging the cultured youth of Maharashtra into drug addiction.​

Sapkal claimed that even when a drug manufacturing unit was exposed on the farm of a relative of a Deputy Chief Minister, the matter was brushed aside with superficial action. ​

He called it extremely serious that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis allegedly granted a clean chit in such cases.​

“Incidents from Nashik, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, and Solapur had already exposed the open drug trade in the state, yet the government failed to wake up. Whether it is the drug mafia Lalit Patil, the Nashik drug case, or the drug factory in Satara, Maharashtra, has seen links of such cases allegedly reaching influential figures within the government. How many more deaths would it take for the Fadnavis government to act instead of distributing clean chits?” he asked.​

He also demanded clarity on who granted permission for such a massive gathering of 4,000-5,000 youngsters for the music event and questioned who the government and police are protecting. ​

He alleged that across Maharashtra, the system appears to be focused solely on collecting percentages and monthly kickbacks, and on extorting money from ordinary citizens through the misuse of law.​

Sapkal said that while Devendra Fadnavis makes grand claims, he is unable to run not just the Home Department but the state itself. ​

He demanded that if Fadnavis is incapable, he should vacate the chair, but must not destroy Maharashtra.​

–IANS

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