Rohit Arya Encounter Turns Political: Opposition Slams Government Over Contractor Payments
The case of Rohit Arya, who was shot dead by police after taking 17 children hostage in Powai, has now taken a political turn. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has accused the BJP-led Mahayuti government of harassing contractors and delaying their payments. Reports say Arya was upset because the government had not approved funds worth about ₹2 crore for his project. Questions are also being asked about why former School Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar paid him from his personal account.
Kesarkar denied wrongdoing, saying he only gave a cheque “as a courtesy” and did not make any official payment. He also accused Rohit Arya of collecting money from schools without permission. The current School Education Minister, Dada Bhuse, confirmed that Arya and his company had no official connection with the department. Arya’s earlier project, Swachhata Monitor, was approved in 2021 with ₹9 lakh funding, but later versions were never approved.
The opposition has demanded a fair investigation into the case. Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar questioned how a man said to be mentally unstable was given government work. NCP MLA Rohit Pawar alleged that the government owes contractors over ₹80,000 crore, and some have even committed suicide due to non-payment. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi condemned Arya’s act of holding students hostage but said the government must take responsibility for the conditions that led to the tragedy.
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