Mumbai, Jun 4 (PTI) : Embattled Maharashtra Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse today said that he resigned from his post to "uphold moral values" in BJP and that the party was standing firmly behind him over the "baseless" allegations.
"For the last 40 years, I have been working in politics and the party but have not experienced a media trial like this before," Khadse told reporters at the state BJP office soon after he met CM Devendra Fadnavis to submit his resignation.
"There has been an unprecedented media trial against me. I have demanded to Fadnavis that there should be a probe into the allegations.
"BJP is firmly behind me and even tomorrow it will stand behind me. The party has always abided by moral values. BJP is of the opinion that one should not continue to hold posts in face of allegations," he said.
On the allegations by a Pune-based builder Hemant Gawande that he purchased a land in MIDC area of Bhosari near Pune in the name of his wife, the BJP leader said, "The revenue department has said that no transaction regarding the MIDC plot purchase is illegal."
"Had the land really belonged to MIDC, the corporation's name would have been in the concerned documents. I suggested to police to file FIR against the person who was illegally trying to usurp Pune agricultural college land worth Rs 400 crore.
"I issued a GR on taking back Wakf land illegally taken over by some people and they will naturally bear the brunt of that decision," Khadse said, in a veiled reference to allegations that bigwigs affected by that GR may have been behind the campaign to dislodge him.
"The allegations levelled by Congress and AAP are baseless. Allegations have been made against senior BJP leaders Advani and Gadkari in the past," he said.
"Police have said that no call was made or received on my mobile from Dawood Ibrahim," Khadse said referring to hacker Manish Bhangale's claim.
"A hacker means a thief and hacking is an offence of treason. If they can't furnish proof, action should be taken against those making such false charges," he said.
On allegations by fishermen's associations who accused him of favouring the purse seine net fishing vessels and claimed that there was a deal of Rs 15 crore to tweak the rules in favour of these purse-seine net fishing vessels, Khadse said he had taken no such decision.
Referring to the state Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arresting his personal aide Gajanan Patil for allegedly demanding a Rs 30 crore bribe from a Mumbai-based social entrepreneur over a land allotment matter, the senior BJP leader said, "I had rejected the concerned proposal. So, how can one claim that Rs 30 crore was demanded by Gajanan Patil."
"I have been saying that if there is even an iota of truth in the allegations, I won't stay in the post," Khadse added.
Earlier news
Khadse quits; first blow to BJP under Modi-Shah combine
Mumbai, Jun 4 (PTI) : Facing heat over a string of corruption charges including irregularities in a land deal, Maharashtra Revenue Minister Eknath Khadse today resigned, the first casualty in BJP after Narendra Modi-Amit Shah combine took over the party pledging zero-tolerance to corruption.
With his options running out and the central leadership sending a clear and stern message to him, the 64-year-old veteran from north Maharashtra drove to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis's official residence here this morning and offered his resignation.
The fate of Khadse was sealed two days back after Fadnavis briefed Modi and Shah in Delhi over the allegations against him, which were not only leveraged by Congress, NCP and AAP to embarrass the first BJP-led government in the state but even made ally Shiv Sena to come out seeking his ouster.
Considered "number two" in the Cabinet handling vital portfolios of Revenue and Agriculture, Khadse has been facing heat over a series of allegations including irregularities in a land deal in Pune and getting calls allegedly from fugitive Dawood Ibrahim's residence in Karachi on his mobile phone besides the alleged bribe sought by a personal aide.
He is in a spot over the purchase of a three-acre Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) land in Pune allegedly at a low price of around Rs 3.75 crore from its original owner in the name of his wife and son-in-law. The market value of the land is reportedly Rs 40 crore.
Rubbishing the allegations, Khadse said he has been a victim of an "unprecedented media trial."
Addressing a press meet with the state party chief Raosaheb Danve after his meeting with Chief Minister, Khadse, seen as the OBC face of the party with a massive following in northern districts, said, "For the last 40 years, I have been in politics and the party but had not experienced a media trial like this."
"There has been an unprecedented media trial against me," he said, adding, "I have demanded Fadnavis that an inquiry be ordered into the allegations."
Stating Khadse was forced to quit as charges against him were "serious", Congress demanded a high level investigation into the matter.
"Only resignation will not do. We want a high level judicial inquiry into the scams involving Khadse. We don't trust this government, which may sabotage the investigation," Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan told PTI.
Former AAP leader Anjali Damania, who was on a hunger strike demanding Khadse's resignation for the last three days, said this was the initial victory for her after exposing Khadse's wrongdoings.
AAP national spokesperson Preeti Sharma Menon said, "We are relieved that finally, after he was totally exposed in past few weeks, BJP removed Khadse from office."