“Exercise caution before making reckless allegations”: Milind Deora to Aaditya Thackeray

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 30 (ANI): Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora criticized Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray’s allegations that the BJP-led government was exerting undue pressure on Maharashtra’s Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik to retire early and accused him of “playing a dangerous and immature game by politicizing the state’s bureaucracy.”

Thackeray had claimed that the push for Saunik’s premature retirement was motivated by political dissatisfaction.

“By attacking the appointment of Maharashtra’s Chief Secretary, Aaditya Thackeray is continuing to play a dangerous and immature game by politicizing Maharashtra’s bureaucracy. He must exercise caution before making reckless allegations,” Deora said in a post on X.

Deora also criticized Thackeray for his previous actions, pointing to Thackeray’s public criticisms of Ashwini Bhide, the former head of Mumbai Metro. Deora alleged that Thackeray’s “public trolling” led to Bhide’s unjust removal.

“This isn’t the first time Aaditya has acted irresponsibly. His public trolling of Ashwini Bhide, an efficient officer & the head of #Mumbai Metro, not only led to her unjust removal but also caused cost overruns to the tune of Rs3,000 crore & severe delays in the #MumbaiMetro project,” Deora said.

Highlighting the progress made under the leadership of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deora praised the appointment of women to key administrative roles in the state.

“In Maharashtra, women are leading the state in top administrative positions, a development that has flourished under the leadership of @mieknathshinde Ji. This progress should be welcomed & celebrated, not politicised for personal gain. Prominent women bureaucrats in significant positions in Maharashtra: Chief Secretary: Sujata Saunik DGP: Rashmi Shukla Head of Forest Force: Shomita Biswas Principal Secretary, Department of Law & Justice: Suwarna Keole Principal Accountant General: Jaya Bhagat Head of Mumbai Metro: Ashwini Bhide,” he added.

Earlier, in a post on X, Aaditya Thackeray alleged political pressure on Maharashtra’s Chief Secretary, Sujata Saunik, to retire early.

“As per sources, Madan ji is to retire on September 4 and there is a lot of pressure from the bjp- mindhe sarkar on Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik ji to voluntarily step down and head the election commission in our state. The point is, why? Only because she’s a very capable woman and the bjp/ mindhe don’t agree with it? She didn’t come there only because she’s a woman, but she’s put in decades of service, hard work to reach there as an officer, and will retire on June 30, 2025,” Thackeray said in his post.

“If the illegal cm wants to change her, he can issue an order. But he has no guts to. Then why force a capable officer to take voluntary retirement, even though she’s due for retirement next year? Will she be forced to bow out and how far will the mindhe regime go in stifling the voice of women in Maharashtra?,” he added.