The panchnama’s premise is centred on labelling the government as favouring the rich. It lists out a comparison of the prices of cylinders, petrol and diesel, cooking oil and salt, and says that they have gone up since 2014 after the BJP-led government came to power in the state. It points out that farm equipment, tractors used by farmers have a 12% GST, school books and ghee have 18% and 12% GST, respectively, while travel by helicopter, airplanes and cruise ships have only 5% GST. It also lists that purchase of diamonds has just a 1.5% GST.
It also highlights the farmers’ suicides and lack of government support for them. It said the government was protecting rich people involved in the hit-and-run cases.
At a joint press conference, NCPSP chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray and state Congress chief Nana Patole released the ‘panchnama’ and called the people to vote out the Mahayuti government.
“There is no law and order in the state. There are atrocities on women and children. They are not safe. Their own people (Baba Siddique) get shot down. Industries are being taken away from our state to Gujarat, leading to loss of jobs for our youths here. The government is involved in taking kickbacks in every project and there was even corruption in the building of the Shivaji Maharaj statue,” alleged Patole.
Pawar doubted whether the state would be able to finance projects like the Ladki Bahin scheme where the government was paying ₹1,500 per month to women. Thackeray said BJP was trying to pit communities against each other.
