Delay in action on NCP leader’s mill has BJP MLC, Min sparring

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Argument finally ended with promise that ‘sugar commissionerate would conduct an inquiry without the involvement of the sugar commissioner’

First India Bureau

Mumbai: Bharatiya Janata Party MLC Ram Shinde and his party colleague and cooperation minister Atul Save duked it out, over alleged delays in action against a sugar mill reportedly linked to Nationalist Congress Party MLA Rohit Pawar, in the Maharashtra Legislative Council on Thursday.

Shinde--through a calling attention motion--raised the issue of Maharashtra Sugar Commissioner not taking any action against Baramati Agro Ltd, a sugar mill linked to Pawar, who is the grandnephew of NCP chief Sharad Pawar.

Incidentally, Rohit Pawar had defeated Shinde in the 2019 Assembly polls. Shinde became an MLC in June last year.

“The Indapur-based Baramati Agro Ltd started its crushing before the designated date of October 15, when all the mills were supposed to start its crushing season. Despite several complaints, the sugar commissioner did not take any strong action against the mill,” Shinde told the House. When Save responded that the necessary action would be taken against the mill, adding that an FIR had already been registered against its management, Shinde asserted that the sugar commissioner had taken five months to act. There was no point in taking action so late, he said.

Shinde also said the sugar commissioner and cooperation department swung into action only after he raised the issue, adding the FIRs and complaints were lodged just a few days ago.

When Save tried to explain his stand, Shin- de interrupted him, and claimed the sugar commissioner must be held responsible as no strong action had been taken against the mill. Save and Shinde continued to argue on the issue for some time, before Save finally said the sugar commissionerate would conduct an inquiry without the involvement of the sugar commissioner.