Resignations in Maharashtra Backward Class Commission due to govt pressure: Oppn

Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra legislative assembly Vijay Wadettiwar on Tuesday alleged that members of the state Backward Class Commission were being forced to resignHe informed the House that its chairman justice Anand Nirgude retired has also stepped down from the post newswire PTI reported But a minister claimed that neither Nirgude nor any members of the commission said they resigned under pressureWadettiwar a senior Congress leader raised the issue as a point of order in the lower House of the state legislature during its ongoing winter sessionFormer judge Anand Nirgude who was working as the chairperson of the state Backward Class Commission resigned on December 4 and the government accepted it on December 9 As many as four others have resigned from their posts as commission members because among other things they were intimidated and threatened that showcause notices would be issuedMembers of the Maharashtra State commission for backward classes are being pressurised hence they are stepping down from their posts he allegedResponding to it state minister Shambhuraj Desai said Neither Nirgude nor any other member has anywhere said that they were under pressure to step down I will seek detailed information about it The information will be tabled before the HouseAlso read Maharashtra government forms panel to probe Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporations financial transactions in last 25 yearsMeanwhile Leaders of the opposition parties staged an agitation against the Maharashtra government on Tuesday alleging that ldquothe health services in the state were on ventilator supportrdquoLeaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance constituting the Shiv Sena UBT Nationalist Congress Partys Sharad Pawar faction and Congress raised slogans against Maharashtra Health Minister Tanaji Sawant and his departmentLeader of Opposition in the legislative assembly Vijay Wadettiwar Leader of Opposition in legislative council Ambadas Danve Congress leaders Ashok Chavan and Balasaheb Thorat gathered on the steps outside the Vidhan Bhavan wearing white coats carrying stethoscopes and a stretcherSpeaking to reporters Danve said the health services in the state have deteriorated with several deaths reported in the government hospitals of Nagpur Nanded Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Kalwa in Thane districtldquoThe health services in Maharashtra are on ventilator supportrdquo the Shiv Sena UBT leader saidHe further claimed that there was a shortage of medicines in staterun hospitals and accused the government of being unable to provide proper healthcare to patientsAt least 31 patients including infants died at the Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital in Nanded in September while the death of 18 patients was recorded at the Government Medical College and Hospital at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar between October 2 and 3Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa in Thane reported deaths of 18 deaths in 24 hours in August With inputs from agencies