Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar claims BJP min behind backward class panel head's exit

Vijay Wadettiwar/ PTI Screengrab

Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar claimed that a BJP minister from Vidarbha was responsible for the Backward Class Commission's chairman stepping down. According to a report in PTI, Wadettiwar claimed that the minister had insulted Justice Anand Nirgude (retired) following which he stepped down from his post.

The report stated that earlier on Tuesday, Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar, who is also the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, alleged that members of the state's Backward Class Commission were being threatened and forced to resign.

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Reportedly, Wadettiwar claimed that former judge Nirgude resigned as the panel's chairman on December 4 and the government accepted his resignation on December 9.

While speaking with the reporters informally in Nagpur, Wadettiwar said that the BJP minister had asked Judge Nirgude to include a community in the backward class and the latter expressed his inability to comply with the same.

Wadettiwar was quoted as saying, "A BJP minister from Vidarbha first greeted Nirgude and suggested to him to include a community into the backward class (category). Nirgude expressed his inability to carry out his instructions."

"The minister used highly insulting and defamatory words against him. Nirgude left the place immediately and submitted his resignation," he further stated.

When Wadettiwar was asked to reveal the name of the accused minister, he gave a cryptic reply. He said, "Har war, war nahi hota. I am Wadettiwar."

Meanwhile, when he was asked whether he was referring to state minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar gave an elusive reply.

Wadettiwar had earlier said, "Former judge Anand Nirgude, who was working as the chairperson of the state Backward Class Commission, resigned on December 4 and the government accepted it on December 9. As many as four others have resigned from their posts (as commission members) because, among other things, they were intimidated and threatened that show-cause notices would be issued."

He alleged that the members were being pressurised and thus were stepping down but these allegations were refuted by state minister Shambhuraj Desai. He had told media that neither any member nor Nirgude claimed to be under pressure to step down and also said that he would seek detailed information about it which will be tabled before the House.