GST raid on BJP leader Pankaja Munde’s sugar factory, she blames ‘orders from the top’
Pankaja Munde said that the sugar factory in Maharashtra’s Beed district was running at a loss for several years and was not operational. ‘There was no intention to evade any tax,’ she said.
A sugar factory owned by BJP national secretary Pankaja Munde in Parli in Maharashtra’s Beed district was raided by Goods and Services Tax (GST) officials on Thursday, allegedly over GST evasion. The Vaidyanath Sugar Factory is currently non-operational.
“I spoke to GST authorities. I asked them why such a sudden action. Their reply was there was an order from the top,” Pankaja, the daughter of the late senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde, said in Beed.
Pankaja revealed that the sugar factory had been running at a loss for the last six to seven years and was under lock and key. The drought from 2013 to 2015 impacted it badly and the Covid pandemic compounded the crisis, she said.
“We had also taken up this issue with cooperation minister Amit Shah. I had informed the central leadership about the financial crisis and loss of the sugar factory. We sought the government’s help for sick sugar mills,” she said.
While admitting that the GST raid was a rude shock, she said, “The sugar factory has a Rs 250 crore loan. We have already paid Rs 152 crore. There was no question of hiding anything. The Rs 12 crore GST will be paid. There was no intention to evade any tax.”
Her close aide was quick to point out that Pankaja was being harassed. “Why is she being singled out? At a time when individuals with larger financial irregularities are getting a clean chit and inducted in BJP, a GST raid on a sick sugar mill is unexplainable,” the aide said.
A day before the sugar factory raid, Pankaja was seen sharing the dais with her estranged cousin and former NCP minister Dhananjay Munde at Bhagwangad in Beed. For the first time, Pankaja clarified that some people had created a misunderstanding between them. Dhananjay also reciprocated by heaping praise on Pankaja.
Pankaja and Dhananjay’s attempt at burying their differences has political connotations. In 2019, Pankaja had lost the Parli Assembly seat in a close contest against Dhananjay and termed her defeat as a conspiracy by BJP insiders. Expressing disappointment, she held then CM Devendra Fadnavis responsible for her downfall.
Although Pankaja was inducted as secretary in J P Nadda’s central BJP team and named co-in charge of Madhya Pradesh state, she was not very happy. Insiders say she wanted to pursue politics in Maharashtra and was vying for a leadership role in the state Legislative Council or state BJP.
A few months ago, the Shiv Sena (UBT) had given an open offer to Pankaja to join their party instead of facing humiliation in BJP. There were similar gestures from NCP too. However, Pankaja has maintained that her loyalty lies with the BJP.
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