The Maharashtra unit of the BJP has adopted an aggressive stance against Opposition parties on the contractual recruitment issue after Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said the process was, in fact, introduced during the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
On Saturday, state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule sought an unconditional apology from the Opposition parties for blaming the BJP for it. Echoing Fadnavis, Bawankule said, “Contractual recruitment is a concept which was implemented by Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray. The Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) and Shiv Sena (UBT) had promoted the contractual recruitment policy but after the change of government, they blamed the BJP for it.”
“The Opposition should apologise to the people of Maharashtra. If they don’t do so, the BJP will be forced to launch an agitation across Maharashtra. We will expose their double standards,” he said further.
His remarks came the day after Fadnavis announced that the Maharashtra government has decided to scrap the Government Resolution (GR) on contractual recruitment in various departments amid growing unrest among unemployed youths.
While making the announcement, Fadnavis lashed out at the Opposition parties. “The concept and process of contractual recruitment, including empanelment of nine agencies complete with the tender process, was introduced during the MVA government led by Thackeray. The decision was taken after consultation among MVA alliance partners Shiv Sena, Congress and NCP,” Fadnavis said.
“Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena (UBT), which introduced the contractual recruitment drive concept, have the audacity to accuse us of contractual recruitment,” Fadnavis said. “Why should we own up to their sin? Why should we own up to their decision and invite flak? Therefore, we have decided to scrap contractual recruitment in government jobs.”
Earlier, Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar also slammed the Opposition on the issue.
Meanwhile, BJP workers at Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar held demonstrations against Thackeray and Sharad Pawar for “misleading people on contractual recruitment”. BJP and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) protesters also came face to face, leading to tension and requiring police intervention.
Source: The Indian Express
