Opposition MLAs seek probe in leak of budget on Maharashtra Finance Minister Twitter account

Mumbai: Opposition lawmakers on Wednesday staged a protest over the alleged "leak" of Maharashtra budget provisions on Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar's Twitter handle before presentation in the Assembly, and sought a probe into the matter.

The legislators, including NCP's Ajit Pawar, Jayant Patil and Dhananjay Munde, held a demonstration over the issue in the state legislature premises during the ongoing monsoon session. "The government leaked the budget on Twitter even before it was presented before the legislature by Mungantiwar on Tuesday. We are protesting against the government's such irresponsible approach. We want a probe into the matter by the cyber cell," Munde said.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Mungantiwar on Tuesday dismissed the budget "leak" charge, saying the provisions were put out on Twitter 15 minutes after the finance minister began his budget speech in the Assembly.

Meanwhile, the opposition legislators also criticised the BJP-led state government over the drought situation and sought complete farm loan waiver. They also took a dig at the government for allegedly sidelining senior BJP MLA Eknath Khadse, as he approached the legislature premises to attend the session.

Khadse, who was earlier considered No. 2 in the Devendra Fadnavis-led government, resigned from the cabinet in June 2016 over corruption allegations in a land deal, but he was later given a clean chit by the Anti-Corruption Bureau.