The State government’s decision to sell yoga guru Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali products on its online citizen facilitation centres or Aaple Sarkar Seva Kendra has attracted the ire of the Opposition parties, who have alleged favouritism to a private firm.
A government resolution (GR) issued on January 19, announcing services extended by these centres, mentions that Patanjali products will be made available through these centres. Patanjali is the first private company whose products will be made available on the government platform.
Senior government officials have said the GR is in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Centre.
Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, said, “Baba Ramdev is a true beneficiary of the government’s schemes. The government should publish his photograph in its advertisements, as it has forgotten public welfare and is instead working as Patanjali’s agent.”
Opposition parties said that earlier, the government had given around 600 acres of land to Patanjali at a negligible price.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), too, criticised the government for showing favoritism. “Why are only Patanjali products being sold? Has the government now started to sell churna ? The BJP government is favouring those who helped the party during elections,” said NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik.
Financial indiscipline
Reacting to a report in The Hindu on the Finance Department’s circular restricting supplementary demands to unavoidable expenditures, Mr. Vikhe-Patil said the circular was evidence that the State is staring at bankruptcy. “By raising record-break supplementary demands in the last three years, the government has proven its financial indiscipline,” he said.
