Mumbai, July 03: Taking a dig at Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for allegedly delaying an Air India flight after an official in his team forgot to carry proper travel documents, alliance partner Shiv Sena today asked if similar “social work” would be done for an ill person as well.
“Pardeshi was a part of the delegation led by Fadnavis. Thus the flight was delayed and Pardeshi was allowed to get his visa from his home following which the flight took off. Will the social work of bending rules be done in a similar way for a common man who is ill or handicapped?” the Sena asked in an editorial in party mouthpiece ‘Saamana’.
Principal Secretary Praveen Pardeshi, despite having forgotten his visa at home, was given clearance at the Customs and Immigration counters, the Sena alleged and said that “the biggest threat to people’s security comes from such VIP delegations.”
As per media reports, Pardeshi was cleared at the check-in, but was held back before boarding as the passport he was carrying did not have the valid US visa. He apparently had a valid US visa in his old passport but this was not reflected in the new one he was carrying. He arranged to bring his old passport which had valid US visa stamp after which he was allowed to proceed to the aircraft.
“The allegation that I forced delay of the flight to Newark is false and misleading,” Fadnavis had earlier said.
The ruling alliance partner also said that the amount of business and investments that chief ministers bring back from their foreign tours is a matter of debate.
“Nowadays many CMs, like Fadnavis, are visiting foreign countries to gather investments for their states. But, why are CMs only running to foreign nations for investments and what is the actual business and investments they are bringing back should be a matter of debate,” it said.
Foreign investment is a kind of “maze”, the Sena said and questioned the amount of investments that chief ministers have been successful in bringing back from tours abroad.
The Sena also took a jibe at the BJP over its ministers being embroiled in controversies recently.
“We remember the grand oath-taking ceremony the BJP had without the Shiv Sena at a stadium in Churchgate. The BJP then said they would be able to govern the state without the Sena.
“But, maybe, the destiny had other plans. Today, along with the chief minister, various other ministers are embroiled in controversies,” the Sena said.