Opposition seeks cyber probe in budget leak on Twitter

Pic/Twitter

The Opposition legislators on Wednesday demanded a probe by the cyber cell into the alleged "leak" of Maharashtra budget provisions on Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar's Twitter handle before presentation in the Assembly.

The legislators, including NCP's Ajit Pawar, Jayant Patil and Dhananjay Munde, held a demonstration over the issue in the state legislature premises during the ongoing monsoon session. "The government leaked the budget on Twitter even before it was presented before the legislature by Mungantiwar on Tuesday. We are protesting against the government's such an irresponsible approach. We want a probe into the matter by the cyber cell," Munde said.

He lamented that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Mungantiwar justified the tweets. Fadnavis and Mungantiwar on Tuesday dismissed the budget "leak" charge, saying the provisions were put out on Twitter 15 minutes after the finance minister began his budget speech in the Assembly.

"This is not justified," Patil said and demanded that the cybercrime investigation cell probe the alleged leak. To this, Speaker Haribhau Bagade said he would accept the demand for probe if sufficient proof was submitted.

Earlier several lawmakers, including NCP's Ajit Pawar, Patil and Dhananjay Munde, held a demonstration over the issue in the state legislature premises.

"The government leaked the budget on Twitter even before it was presented before the legislature by Mungantiwar on Tuesday. We are protesting against the government's such an irresponsible approach. We want a probe into the matter by the cyber cell," Munde said.

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