Mumbai: Alarmed by the massive damage caused to the image of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti govt following unwarranted statements made by a section of cabinet members, the CM is all set to bring in a brief code of conduct for the cabinet members.
CM Fadnavis himself is in favour of such a code. On Wednesday, deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar also asked NCP cabinet members and legislators not to exceed their brief. While Ajit Pawar was not available for comments, according to reports, he asked the NCP cabinet members not to comment on policy matters, leaving it to CM Devendra Fadnavis and deputy chief ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar. “It is the prerogative of the CM and deputy chief ministers to make comments and express opinions on policy matters. Please do not make comments that will invite controversies and the govt will be seen in a bad light,” Pawar told the meeting at his official residence.
Apparently, Pawar was agitated over a series of comments made by agriculture minister Manikrao Kokate over the Re one insurance scheme for farmers. Ultimately, after large-scale irregularities were noticed in the scheme, it was wound up. According to reports, Kokate said notwithstanding the denial, there is large-scale corruption in such insurance schemes.
Following Kokate’s remarks, there was massive uproar over the schemes drafted by the Mahayuti govt for the farmers. MPCC president Nana Patole and Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar were the first to condemn the govt for inept handling of the scheme. “There is a lack of seriousness, particularly when it comes to welfare schemes for the farmers,” Patole said.
It was not only the crop insurance scheme; Mahayuti cabinet members are commenting on all the disputes, whether linked to their departments or otherwise. When it was brought to the notice of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, he felt it was high time that a comprehensive code of conduct is brought out for the cabinet members, so that there is less damage to the image of the govt.
A Mahayuti cabinet member said that while there was no need, more than half a dozen cabinet members commented on the Walmik Karad episode in Beed district, involving the suicide by sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh.