Congress leader demands removal of facial recognition standards at Mantralaya, seeks public access

Senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar criticises the facial recognition system at Mantralaya, highlighting government failures and discriminatory practices in Mumbai.

Senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar has called for the abolition of the newly implemented facial recognition system at the Mantralaya, which has restricted public access. Mr. Wadettiwar criticised the system, stating that it disproportionately affects ordinary citizens who seek to meet ministers and officials to voice their grievances.

He questioned why the Mahayuti government is apprehensive about public interaction and pointed out that while contractors and middlemen close to ministers and ruling party legislators easily gain access to the Mantralaya, farmers, labourers, and the general public are being denied entry. The Congress leader described this as unjust and demanded an end to the discriminatory practice.

Speaking in Mumbai, Mr. Wadettiwar also raised concerns about the functioning of the Mahayuti government. He highlighted the numerous allegations against Minister Dhananjay Munde and questioned why the government has not taken any action despite repeated demands from ruling party legislators. He accused the government of “adopting a shameless stance,” implying that no action would be taken regardless of the allegations.

He further criticised the Maharashtra Police for their failure to locate the phone of Vishnu Chate, an accused in the Santosh Deshmukh case. Mr. Wadettiwar questioned whether the police have become so ineffective that they cannot trace a single mobile phone, emphasising that recovering the phone would bring clarity to the case.

Mr. Wadettiwar also addressed broader issues affecting the state, including the non-payment of dues to farmers for crops like paddy and soybeans, delayed subsidies for drip irrigation, and unpaid wages under the MGNREGA scheme for the past six months. He cited the recent suicide of a labourers in Gadchiroli as a tragic consequence of these failures. Additionally, he criticised the government for withholding scholarships for OBC students, accusing it of discriminatory treatment.

“State government, facing financial difficulties, is neglecting fundamental issues and creating internal conflicts among ministers to divert attention from pressing problems. Immediate action should be taken to address these grievances,” he added.