Maharashtra Women and Child Development Minister Pankaja Munde on Friday moved a breach of privilege motion against The Hindu in the Assembly for its report on her ‘close partnership’ with a road contractor.
She criticised the August 3 report — ‘ > Pankaja Munde had close ties to road scam-tainted company ’ — claiming it was part of a larger conspiracy to tarnish her image.
Moving two separate motions against Congress MLA Vijay Vadvettiwar and the Editor of The Hindu and the author of the article’, Ms. Munde said: “The MLA read out a news report and alleged I was involved in a road scam. This was baseless. I have nothing to do with it. I am therefore, moving a breach of privilege motion against him.”
Reading out the same allegations against The Hindu , she said: “The unverified reports published in the said newspaper tarnished my image, and therefore I am moving a breach of privilege against the Editor of The Hindu and the author of the article.”
The issue > rocked the Assembly on Thursday , leading to over five adjournments. Raising the issue during zero hour, Congress MLA Vadvettiwar had named the Minister, based on the report in The Hindu . Maintaining her innocence, Ms. Munde read out a prepared statement, while a ruling party MLA jumped into the well demanding an apology from the Opposition. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis criticised the Congress MLA for naming the Minister without a prior notice.
The Hindu had reported that a road contractor, RPS Infra Projects, had received seven times more work orders while it was in ‘partnership’ with Ms. Munde and Dr. Palwe, her husband.
