BJP to intensify protest against Vilasrao in moneylending case

Mumbai, Feb 16 (PTI) Maharashtra BJP today said it wouldintensify its protest against Union Rural Development MinisterVilasrao Deshmukh and will press for his resignation forobstructing police action against the money lender father of aCongress legislator.

"We will demand resignation of Deshmukh in Lok Sabhasession starting from February 21 and the issue would also beraised in the Maharashtra Assembly''s budget session, as he wasthe Chief Minister then," BJP MP from Akola Sanjay Dhotre toldreporters today.

Deshmukh had faced severe criticism from the SupremeCourt bench of Justice A K Ganguly and Justice G S Singhvi forshielding Congress MLA Dilip Sananda''s family from complaintson money lending by poor farmers during his tenure as ChiefMinister. The Court even imposed fine of Rs 10 lakh on theState Government which was paid earlier this month.

The fine also has to be collected from Deshmukh in thecase, Dhotre said. The BJP MP has written a letter to thePresident requesting to drop Deshmukh from the Council ofMinisters in the backdrop of the strictures passed by theApex Court.

Dhotre had filed the petition against Sananda in the SC.

Farmer Sharangdhar Chauhan from Khamgaon in Vidarbha wasalso present with Dhotre and told reporters that he would meetPresident Pratibha Patil along with some others who suffereddue to moneylenders. .