Raut accuses State government of ‘hiding’ real number of fatalities at Maharashtra Bhushan ceremony

Mr. Raut also demanded a special two-day session of the State Legislature to discuss the tragedy. 

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday accused the Maharashtra Government of hiding the real number of fatalities caused by sunstroke during and after the Maharashtra Bhushan award ceremony in Navi Mumbai on April 16, and claimed the actual number was between 50 and 75. Officials have so far announced that 14 persons died at the event.

Mr. Raut said that Shiv Sena workers from Raigad district had informed him that the actual number of deaths was much higher than announced by the State government.

“If you look at the total figure from all the villages in Raigad, then a minimum of 50 and a maximum of 75 people have died. This government has reached the houses of the deceased and suppressed the voices of family members,” he alleged.

The Uddhav Thackeray loyalist demanded that the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis government should resign immediately as hiding the actual number of deaths was cruel and “the government had no right to be in power”.

The Opposition accused the current dispensation of mismanagement and demanded the government be booked for culpable homicide for organising the event at an open ground at noon when the temperature was very high. The event was attended by lakhs of followers of social worker Appasaheb Dharmadhikari, who was conferred with the Maharashtra Bhushan award by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Mr. Raut also demanded a special two-day session of the State Legislature to discuss the tragedy. 

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Ajit Pawar on Thursday demanded a judicial inquiry into the deaths of 14 persons, even after Mr. Shinde appointed a one-member committee of Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) Nitin Keer to probe the deaths.