Deep cleaning drive a citizens' programme, opposition should join it: CM Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday called the ongoing deep cleaning drive a citizens programme and urged the opposition to join it and contribute to its success.Addressing the media in Navi Mumbai, he said cleaning of rivers in the state will be taken up in a phased manner, building on the success of the current campaign.This is not my programme or the governments programme.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday called the ongoing ‘deep cleaning’ drive a citizens’ programme and urged the opposition to join it and contribute to its success.

Addressing the media in Navi Mumbai, he said cleaning of rivers in the state will be taken up in a phased manner, building on the success of the current campaign.

“This is not my programme or the government’s programme. It is a citizens’ programme that should be a public movement,” he said, adding that thousands of people actively participated in a deep cleaning event at Marine Drive earlier in the day.

Responding to critics, the chief minister invited his opponents to join the initiative and contribute to its success. “For me, CM does not mean chief minister; it is common man,” he said.

Shinde said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch many projects, including the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, in the state on January 12.

Asked about the opposition demands for an audit of his government’s ‘Shasan Aplya Dari' (government at your doorstep) programme, Shinde said it has already benefited over 2.2 crore citizens in Maharashtra. Citizens will conduct “their (opposition)” audit in the upcoming elections and give a fitting response, he said. Regarding the utilisation of Indrayani River water, the CM dismissed opposition demands, clarifying that it is not intended for regular usage, and urged his opponents to be aware of the facts.