Poll panel should look into Sena's 'banned notes' charge: Sanjay Nirupam

MUMBAI: The city Congress unit, led by Sanjay Nirupam, on Saturday knocked on the doors of state election commissioner J S Saharia to demand a probe into an editorial in Shiv Sena mouth piece Saamna, saying banned currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 were used on a large scale during the crucial elections to the municipal councils and nagar panchayats.
“We brought to the notice of Saharia the specific contents in the Saamna editorial.The editorial cannot be ignored, since Shiv Sena is an alliance partner and is also a part of the government.It has been specifically alleged that banned notes were used during the elections. We have ur ged Saharia to set up an independent committee to probe into the allegations,“ Nirupam said.
In its editorial on November 30, Saamna had alleged that BJP had used currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 on a large scale during the municipal council and nagar panchayat elections. After the re sults, BJP emerged as a top political party in the state, when it won the post of chairman as well as members of the councils and nagar panchayat.
Secondly, Nirupam demanded a high-level probe into the cash found in a car belonging to Lok Mangal group, directly controlled by senior BJP leader and cooperation minister Subhash Deshmukh. “Prima facie, it appears that the entire government is protecting Desh mukh. The initial probe has been entrusted to an official of the cooperation department controlled by none other than Deshmukh himself. The commission should entrust the probe to an independent IAS or IPS official,“ Nirupam said.
He also took strong objection to the statements made by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. Firstly , the CM said all those opposing the PM's decision are anti-nationals and secondly, Cidco will buy lands belonging to Pen Urban Cooperative bank, which is in financial crisis. “We were expecting that the state election commission will take action against Fadnavis for violation of code of conduct on its own, but it did not act. At least now, the panel should seek explanation from the CM and take action as per provisions of law,“ he said.