BJP govt cheated Shirdi Saibaba: Ashok Chavan

Mumbai: Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan on Friday said that the Central and state governments have not only cheated people but have also cheated Shirdi Saibaba by not releasing funds for a Rs 3,000 crore project to develop his shrine at Shirdi.

Speaking to journalists in Shirdi, Mr Chavan said the project was sanctioned during the Samadhi centenary celebration but neither the state nor the Centre had given even a single rupee so far.

“However funds of the Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust (SSST) were being used by the government for its own schemes,” he said.

Mr Chavan was referring to the Shirdi temple trust's decision last year to provide the “interest-free” loan worth Rs 500 crore to the Maharashtra government for constructing a canal network for a dam.

The Nilwande Dam is located on Pravara River and is expected to benefit 182 villages in Sangamner, Akole, Rahata, Rahuri and Kopargaon talukas in Ahmednagar district and Sinnar in Nashik.

The temple trust had earlier provided Rs 50 crore to the Maharashtra Airport Development Company for the construction of the Rs 350 crore airport there. The airport, located at Kakadi village, is now operational.

The Congress leader, Mr Chavan also slammed the  Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi  (VBA) and called it the “B team” of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP),
alleging that it was choosing candidates to help the ruling party.