09 July,2026 04:20 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Sanjay Raut. File Pic
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday criticised Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over his recent remarks against critics of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway's Missing Link project.
Raut questioned the Chief Minister's approach and alleged that the state government was trying to silence criticism over infrastructure projects.
In a post on X, Raut accused the government of promoting an atmosphere where people raising questions were being targeted.
"Failure, Ego, Arrogance and so on and so forth... All of this will disappear in a moment! Maharashtra needs a cultured Chief Minister! But what can be done? As the mine, so the clay. Has Devendra Fadnavis imposed an Emergency in Maharashtra? If people are not allowed to speak about government-sponsored corruption, loot, and mob rule, then this itself is an Emergency!" Raut said in his post.
Raut also questioned the handling of the Missing Link project and alleged irregularities in its implementation.
"Who are you threatening, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis? You are issuing threats. First of all, you have misused taxpayers' money and indulged in corruption. Out of the Rs 700 crore spent on this project, there has been a scam of Rs 200 crore. That Rs 200 crore has gone into your pocket. What happened to the rest? We have already seen how the project was damaged during the very first rains. If we ask questions, or if the public asks questions, you call the people 'dogs' and 'hired stooges'. Have you imposed an Emergency in Maharashtra, where no one is allowed to speak against the government's corruption? If anyone speaks up, will you put them in jail? Go ahead and keep issuing threats."
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader also shared a video clip from the Maharashtra Legislative Monsoon Session in which Fadnavis defended the project and issued a warning to those spreading criticism.
The controversy began after Fadnavis responded to criticism over the Missing Link project following a landslide near one of its tunnels after heavy rainfall.
During a discussion on heavy rains and flood management in the Maharashtra Assembly, the Chief Minister said challenges could occur during the initial phase of major infrastructure projects.
He alleged that misinformation was being spread through television, social media and paid campaigns.
Fadnavis said the Missing Link project was a major engineering achievement that had helped reduce accidents in the ghat section and improved traffic movement between Mumbai and Pune.
The Chief Minister said major infrastructure projects could not be stopped because of concerns over landslides and referred to the Konkan Railway, which also faced similar challenges during its early years.
He said the government had consulted experts from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), who recommended additional protective measures to improve safety at the project site.
The issue gained attention after heavy rainfall triggered landslides in the Mumbai-Pune ghat section earlier this week, affecting both road and rail movement.
The landslide near the Missing Link tunnel led to restrictions on traffic on the Mumbai-bound route, while several train services were cancelled or diverted as restoration work continued.
Raut also commented on the Ram temple donation controversy and questioned the ongoing investigation.
"The entire thing is fake. It is a fraud, but the real fraudsters are still outside. Their names do not even appear in the SIT report. The names of Champat Rai, Gopal Rao, and Anil Mishra are not there. The inquiry has only caught the small fish. There are duplicate receipt books, and all the evidence is there. Everyone knows where the money went. It is on record how that money was used to build houses and grand mansions from Pune to Delhi, Noida and Ayodhya. What action is the government taking?"
