Maharashtra Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar on Friday said a report could be tabled in the Maharashtra assembly on the deaths of 14 people due to heatstroke at a function attended by Union Minister Amit Shah in April this year. Speaking to reporters during an informal chat at Suyog residence, where journalists from outside Nagpur are given accommodation during legislature sessions, the cultural affairs minister said there was nothing controversial about the incident that occurred during the event organised to confer the Maharashtra Bhushan Award to social worker Appasaheb Dharmadhikari. At least 10 women and four men died after suffering sunstroke during the award ceremony, which was held on an open ground in the Kharghar area of Raigad district in April.
‘’The report could be tabled in the house during the ongoing session. There is nothing controversial about the incident because the meteorological department had predicted a temperature of 34 degrees Celsius,’’ Mungantiwar said. ‘’It is true that the cultural affairs ministry had organised the event near Mumbai. However, the timing was decided as per their (Appasaheb Dharmadhikari) availability. They told us their followers can come early for the event,’’ he said.
Following the deaths, Opposition parties slammed the Eknath Shinde-led state government, accused it of mismanagement and demanded an inquiry.