Mumbai: Saamna has slammed Pravin Pardeshi, principal secretary to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis , over the infamous 'visa' controversy. Saamna also questioned the logic behind the CM’s latest US visit to generate foreign investment.

In an editorial on Friday, Saamna rapped Pardeshi for not carrying his visa. “It is amazing that this should happen in the case of a senior bureaucrat... It would have been understandable had a Mantralaya clerk or a Class-IV employee committed such a blunder,” said the Shiv Sena mouthpiece and punned on the bureaucrat's surname which, when literally translated, means a ‘foreigner’.

The Saamna leader comment could embarrass the Fadnavis government at a time when the Centre has sought a report on the June 29 delay of the Mumbai-Newark Air India flight after Pardeshi “forgot” to bring his passport with a valid US visa to the airport, said analysts.

That the Sena is an ally in the BJP government at the Centre and in the state as well has made matters delicate for Fadnavis who has been feverishly tweeting on the visa row. Fadnavis, in a series of tweets on Wednesday, denied that the Mumbai-Newark flight was delayed because of him.

The CM has threatened action against the media for carrying reports holding him responsible for the delay.

Referring to media reports that despite not possessing a visa Pardeshi was given a boarding pass, which compelled the airline to offload him when the scheduled time of departure drew close, Saamna said, “This shows that it is the VIPs who pose the biggest threat to security. The authorities should take due cognizance of this.”

“Could rules have been violated in the case of a common citizen or a physically challenged person?” asked Saamna. “One needs to find out the 'muhurat' on which Fadnavis took his oath of office as chief minister,” said Saamna, adding, “Why should all this happen to Fadnavis within a year in office?” a reference to the recent controversies involving BJP ministers Vinod Tawde and Pankaja Munde in e-tender cases.

Going a step further, Saamna poured ridicule on Fadnavis’ trip to US to generate investment in Maharashtra. “All talk of foreign investment is plain deception...Many Maharashtra CMs inked MoUs during their stint in office. Did a single penny come to Maharashtra? Not a single project based on foreign investment has ever materialized in the state,” said Saamna.

“These days every CM rushes abroad to bring in investment for his or her state. There should be a national debate on the actual investment that has accrued from such foreign trips,” remarked Saamna.

Urging the state government to go in for 'swadeshi' investment, Saamna said 'desi' industrialists should first invest in Maharashtra. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's latest 'Digital India' campaign, the saffron daily said, “Many Mumbai-based corporate giants, including Mukesh Ambani, are all set to invest under the PM’s plan. However, how much will be Maharashtra’s share in this investment?”

