AAP has demanded an inquiry into the role of Pankaja Munde and Raosaheb Danve in alleged irregularities
Maharashtra's Women and Child Development Minister Pankaja Munde has been accused by the Maharashtra wing of the Aam Aadmi Party of nepotism and facilitating a scam in the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), a welfare programme run by the government which provides food, pre-school education, and primary healthcare to children under six years of age and their mothers. AAP is now demanding Ms Munde's resignation.
"The Supreme Court has made it clear that all ICDS scheme supplies must be by self-help groups, village communities and localised Mahila Mandals. In 2009, the Congress government had given it to three Mahila mandals - Venkateshwara, Mahalakshmi and Maharashtra. The Supreme Court had conducted an inquiry and the Commission had made it amply clear that these three are fake Mahila Mandals. After this rap from the Supreme Court the Congress government mended its ways. Everything was fine until Pankaja Munde came in as Women and Child Development minister and reversed everything back. She gave contracts to the same three disqualified contractors," Aam Aadmi Party's spokesperson Preeti Sharma Menon said.
Ms Munde denied the allegations made against her and said, "This is not the first time someone has made allegations against me. I have proved those allegations wrong with proof. I don't have details of the allegation. We have worked according to the directions of the Supreme Court. I don't think any force in this country can override what the Supreme Court says."
"We have worked according to the Supreme Court guidelines. I don't think they are beyond the Supreme Court," Ms Munde added.
AAP has also made allegations against state BJP President Raosaheb Danve who has not responded so far. In a press release, AAP's Preeti Sharma Menon said, "Pankaja Munde has misled our state into believing that the Supreme Court has upheld the THR contracts. It has not, it has merely tried to ensure that the THR supply continues uninterrupted till such time as the court hears the matter and then passes the final orders.
AAP has demanded the cancellation of the tender and an inquiry into the role of Pankaja Munde and Raosaheb Danve in the alleged irregularities.