Mumbai: After the controversy generated over the river anthem music video, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar skipped a programme on river conservation on Sunday related to the video. Mr Fadnavis, Mr Mungantiwar, BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta, Police commissioner Dattatraya Padsalgikar were seen in the video which went viral.
The river march team had organised a programme in Dahisar on Sunday morning in which the CM was the chief guest along with Mr Mungantiwar and the CM’s wife Amruta Fadnavis.
The Congress had raised objections to the video wanting to know how the CM acted in a private music video. The CM’s office issued a clarification and threatened Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant to move a breach of privilege motion against him.
However, the CM and the FM skipped the programme this morning which was attended by Amruta Fadnavis and BJP spokesperson Ram Kadam.
Meanwhile, Sachin Sawant said that he would pursue the issue even if the CMO has threatened him against moving the breach of privilege motion against him. “The video proves that the government has misused its power and flouted norms. They used government officials for the private video,” Mr Sawant said.
As per the All India Services Conduct Rule 1968 section 13(2)(d), government officials can only participate in programmes organised by registered organisations, he said. “However, the clarification by the CMO has said that the River March organisation is not registered. Therefore, it is a violation of the All India Services Conduct Rule,” he said.
Taking a dig at BJP, Congress had asked if the river anthem video could really help in reducing pollution. It had even asked if similar videos could be made for grave issues faced by the state like farmer suicides.
