MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday criticized deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis’s trip to Japan in August and industries minister Uday Samant’s upcoming trip to London and Davos in Switzerland. Aaditya cited a government resolution (GR) which gave post facto sanction to Fadnavis’s trip and which stated that the entire cost of Fadnavis’s tour with half a dozen officials was to be paid by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) though the 5-day Japan visit was organised on the invitation of the Consulate of Japan in Mumbai. Aaditya demanded Samant’s trip to Davos be scrapped saying it was akin to a vacation to enjoy the snow but by spending public money.
However, BJP MLA Ashish Shelar claimed Fadnavis’s visit to Japan was fully funded by the Japanese government which had invited him as official guest. “Expenses are borne by the Japanese government. The Maharashtra government has spent money for the accompanying officials. The complete timeline of what Fadnavis did during his Japan tour and the amount of investment attracted is available on his social media account. A large investment has come from his tour. One who enjoys himself in London on government money while his father is ill should not teach wisdom to others. Admittedly, this is due to childishness. But do not reach its peak,” Shelar said in a post on X, where he also posted a letter from Dr Fukahori Yasukata, Consul General at the Consulate of Japan in Mumbai inviting Fadnavis to Japan.
Aaditya said according to the GR for the Japan trip, Fadnavis was supposed to submit a report to the state government a month later. He asked if the report had been submitted. “Foreign trips are in fashion for the illegal regime in Maharashtra. Spending public money, no outcomes for the state has been the norm for these holidays of ministers and officials,” Aaditya said.
He said Samant was going on a foreign vacation.
Samant claimed many investment agreements were signed by government in Davos this year. “They said Rs 40 crore was spent on this tour. But it is actually Rs 32 crore. The largest expenditure was Rs 16 crore for the Maharashtra Pavilion, which was 4,000 sq ft in size. During the MVA tenure, Rs 2 crore was spent internationally for publicity of this tour. But this year the conference was held for four days and Rs 3.4 crore has been spent on it,” Samant said.
He added, “Some people are constantly criticizing the foreign visits of the CM and other ministers and trying to spread misinformation. One should politicize something, but the language should be good. Or else we also have to raise the issue of who spent whose money and who took the benefits of subsidies during the 2.5-year reign.”
However, BJP MLA Ashish Shelar claimed Fadnavis’s visit to Japan was fully funded by the Japanese government which had invited him as official guest. “Expenses are borne by the Japanese government. The Maharashtra government has spent money for the accompanying officials. The complete timeline of what Fadnavis did during his Japan tour and the amount of investment attracted is available on his social media account. A large investment has come from his tour. One who enjoys himself in London on government money while his father is ill should not teach wisdom to others. Admittedly, this is due to childishness. But do not reach its peak,” Shelar said in a post on X, where he also posted a letter from Dr Fukahori Yasukata, Consul General at the Consulate of Japan in Mumbai inviting Fadnavis to Japan.
Aaditya said according to the GR for the Japan trip, Fadnavis was supposed to submit a report to the state government a month later. He asked if the report had been submitted. “Foreign trips are in fashion for the illegal regime in Maharashtra. Spending public money, no outcomes for the state has been the norm for these holidays of ministers and officials,” Aaditya said.
He said Samant was going on a foreign vacation.
Samant claimed many investment agreements were signed by government in Davos this year. “They said Rs 40 crore was spent on this tour. But it is actually Rs 32 crore. The largest expenditure was Rs 16 crore for the Maharashtra Pavilion, which was 4,000 sq ft in size. During the MVA tenure, Rs 2 crore was spent internationally for publicity of this tour. But this year the conference was held for four days and Rs 3.4 crore has been spent on it,” Samant said.
He added, “Some people are constantly criticizing the foreign visits of the CM and other ministers and trying to spread misinformation. One should politicize something, but the language should be good. Or else we also have to raise the issue of who spent whose money and who took the benefits of subsidies during the 2.5-year reign.”
