28 September,2017 11:26 AM IST | Mumbai | Dharmendra Jore
In another round of bitter banter, BJP tells ally to stop agitating, while Uddhav slams CM
Even as the Shiv Sena is stepping up pressure and taking the BJP head on, the Amit Shah-led party has asked its ally to behave and stop making itself a laughing stock by protesting against the central and state governments, where they share power.
Chandrakant Patil, the number two in chief minister Devendra Fadnavis's cabinet, came down heavily on Sena on Wednesday, saying that the partner would never quit the government despite repeated threats. What has angered BJP the most is Sena's Saturday agitation against rising fuel prices, because their ally party's ministers and members raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Know your dharma
Talking about the protest, Patil said it was wrong in terms of alliance dharma, "The Sena shouldn't think the people appreciate it for such protests. In fact, the party has made itself a laughing stock by agitating against its own government. Sena should go door to door to know the people's feelings."
Patil also reminded Sena that it was CM Fadnavis who protected Sena minister Subhash Desai, who is facing corruption charges. "The CM has stood firmly behind Desai and rejected his resignation. He has supported the minister more than [Sena president] Uddhav Thackeray," he said while stating that BJP was concerned about its partner who refuses to reciprocate the same.
While Fadnavis has chosen to ignore the Sena's incessant shenanigans, Patil has cautioned the partner to mend its ways. "Even blood relations fight, but they don't take things out to the public. Sena is affecting itself by behaving like the opposition," he said, adding, "Do we [BJP] take to the streets if we have any issues with the departments or ministries that are headed by Sena ministers?"
Uddhav slams CM
On Wednesday, Thackeray sided with thousands of agitating anganwadi sevika (female attendants at child care centres/primary schools) who were demanding a wage hike and permanent government jobs. At the agitation, Thackeray slammed CM Fadnavis for ignoring the underprivileged female social workers. "Instead of doing justice to the sevika sisters you have gone on a foreign trip to fulfil your dreams. The country cannot afford [this] development that has taken a crazy form," he said adding that he wasn't there to lead the agitation, but to strengthen the protest.
"We are with you if the government tries to enforce its power on you," he said. Thackeray warned the CM against using force, while snubbing minister-in-charge Pankaja Munde, "CM saaheb, please don't make it a prestige issue. You give them laddus or chikki." "I will not allow your enforcement in the name of democracy," he cautioned the CM.
