Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Sep 27: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has called for IAS officer Tukaram Mundhe to be given a larger administrative responsibility, saying he should be made the head of the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).

Speaking to the media in Mumbai, Raut praised Mundhe’s recent action against establishments, restaurants and hotels for alleged violations of food and safety regulations after he took charge of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Raut said the officer’s enforcement drive had attracted attention across the country.

“Restaurants and hotels are enough now. Let people eat,” Raut said, suggesting that Mundhe should instead be given responsibility for departments such as drought management, rehabilitation, revenue and urban development, where he alleged large-scale corruption takes place.

Raut also criticised the Election Commission over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Maharashtra. He alleged that around two crore names had been excluded from the state’s electoral rolls and accused Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of taking decisions that benefited the BJP. These allegations are political claims and have not been independently established.

Raut said the Shiv Sena (UBT) would support the protest led by CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke on October 2 and claimed that another march involving Raj Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray would be held on October 4. He said opposition parties should come together on the issue.

On the SIR process, Raut said Rahul Gandhi had also raised the issue and claimed that institutions were functioning under pressure. He said his party had approached the court and that the judiciary should decide the matter.

Raut also appealed to the Congress to maintain unity within the INDIA bloc and said the Shiv Sena (UBT) recognised Rahul Gandhi’s central leadership. He welcomed what he described as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s renewed emphasis on the importance of the INDIA alliance.

On the Ram temple donation controversy, Raut alleged that the temple trust’s treasury had been looted because of Champat Rai and accused the BJP of being responsible. He claimed that a Special Investigation Team had found evidence of theft. These claims were made by Raut and were not independently established in the reports reviewed.

Raut also attacked the Maharashtra government over the drought situation and farmers’ suicides. He claimed that seven farmers had died by suicide in the preceding 24 hours and that around 550 farmers had died by suicide in the state. He alleged that although the government had declared drought, relief had not reached affected people and termed the situation a failure of the state government.

Raut’s comments came amid continuing political exchanges in Maharashtra over the SIR exercise, drought relief, farmers’ distress and the government’s administrative functioning.