Mumbai : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Maharashtra government is often seen boasting of “transparency and good governance”. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is also often heard making tall claims to fulfilling each and every announcement he makes. Add to this, the government often makes claims of not interfering with the judiciary and always abiding by its directives.
But the ground reality reveals a completely different story. The government is not only defying the orders of the Bombay High Court but is dilly-dallying in implementing the court orders pertaining to Dahi Handi.
A bench headed by Justice Bhushan Gavai had in August 2017, passed a detailed judgment on a plea filed by activist Swati Patil seeking directions to the government to impose conditions on mandals organising Dahi Handi across the state. Patil in her plea had highlighted the number of deaths of participants, especially the minors, owing to the indefinite height of Handis.
In his judgment, Justice Gavai had left it upon the “wisdom” of the state government to decide the height of Handis.
It has been more than a year since, but the government is dragging its feet over deciding the height of the Handis.
And surprising is the fact that all the so-called “tall claims” of the government over abiding by the court orders, all have fallen flat. This can be said with the government has now indulging in its favourite game — “passing the buck”.
Activist Patil recently wrote a letter to the state’s home department seeking to know the “status” of the decision by the government on this issue. However, she has been made to run from pillar to post to know the government’s decision over the last one month. According to Patil, “I had written a letter to the Home Department seeking to know if it has taken any decision regarding the height of Handis.”
“Surprisingly, the Home Department said that the issue did not fall under its jurisdiction. I was instead asked to approach the Sports Department as well as the Ministry of Women and Child Development,” Patil added.
Interestingly, Patil, who has been fighting over this issue, did not stop here and her struggle continued further. “I then approached the Sports Department and the Ministry of Women and Child Development. Both the departments refused to even entertain my plea. Both these departments too cited the excuse of jurisdiction. I was further asked to move the Home Department again,” Patil said.
She added, “I again wrote to the Home Department and it has been more than a month but there has been no reply yet. I am still awaiting their response and if I do not get one, I have informed them that I would be filing a contempt petition against the government officials.”
Not only this, Patil has personally written a letter to the CM . However, there has been no response from him as well.
“Last year the judgment was passed just a few days before the festival, so I could not file any contempt. I have details of deaths and injuries of nearly 10 minor Govindas last year. I am waiting for a reply from the government and if it does not deem it fit to revert, I will be left with no option but to drag them once again to the court,” Patil added.
Activist Swati Patil recently wrote a letter to the state’s home department seeking to know the “status” of the decision by the government on this issue. However, she has been made to run from pillar to post to know the government’s decision over the last one month.