‘Why Should We Take Blame For Sins Of Past Govts’: Fadnavis As Maha Govt Cancels Order Meant For Contractual Recruitment

Mumbai: In a major decision, the Maharashtra government cancelled the previous MVA government’s resolution facilitating appointment of contractual employees, said Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at a press conference on Friday. 

"Why should we take the blame for their sin? We have cancelled the GR regarding contractual employment," Fadnavis said and asked, "Will MVA leaders now apologise?"

This move comes after sharp criticism from MVA leaders  over the past few days. "They want to sell off and privatise everything," the opposition accused the government while criticizing the decision on contractual appointments.

Fadnavis 'exposes' how past govts facilitated contractual employment in jobs

Fadnavis lashed out at the opposition while exposing the details of how the successive governments over the past couple of decades facilitated contractual employment in government jobs.

Fadnavis also stated that it was during the current government that the rates for facility managers were brought down. "The facility managers were empanelled in 2014. The then Uddhav Thackeray government accepted it as a policy and decided to go in for a tender. When we came to power, I intervened and asked them to bring down the rates which were around 25 to 30% higher," Fadnavis said and added, however, “The opposition parties created an illusion as if we had brought in the tender process.” 

"While replying to the debate in the legislature too I stated that it was the sin of the opposition. In the cabinet meeting we also discussed it and asked ourselves as to why we should accept their policy as ours? Hence we decided to cancel the GR. While keeping the rights of the departments to appoint employees on a short term basis, as a policy we have declined to grant work to facility management institutions," Fadnavis said while explaining the decision of his government.

"First GR regarding contractual recruitments came on March 13, 2003 during Congress-NCP government," Fadnavis said. "The next recruitment was during the tenure of Ashok Chavan. Posts were for drivers, data entry operators and clarks. Again, during his next tenure, six thousand posts were filled through contractual employment. GR for appointment of contractual teachers was brought in. The next contractual recruitment happened during Prithviraj Chavan's tenure on January 14, 2011," he added. 

He further said that "When Uddhav Thackeray was Chief Minister a GR was brought in on June 15, 2020 and the contractual recruitment was cleared on September 1, 2021. It was Uddhav Thackeray's government that appointed contractors for 15 years with blessings from Sharad Pawar. We later realized that their rates were too high. The whole sin belongs to the Congress-NCP-Shiv Sena government. Yet, they started agitation against us. I wonder how they don't feel ashamed of themselves."

No contractual recruitment in Mumbai police: Fadnavis

While stating that the opposition is trying to create an illusion over the issue, Fadnavis said that there is no contractual recruitment being done in the Mumbai police force. Regular recruitment of 18,331 personnel has been initiated of which 7076 are police constables and 994 are drivers. However, even after the appointment letters are given to the candidates, they have to undergo a year-long training. The force can't be kept empty till then. Hence, from the state owned security corporation 3000 personnel are being loaned. But, attempts are being made to create unease among the youth of the state, Fadnavis said.

He also said that this is the first press conference and he shall address many more press conferences to expose those who want to destabilize Maharashtra.