Busy breaking Opposition parties: Shiv Sena (UBT) attacks Centre over inflation

Uddhav Thackeray. File Pic

The official mouthpiece of Shiv Sena (UBT), 'Saamana', in an editorial took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the central government over rising inflation, reported news agency ANI. Lashing out at the Centre, the piece claimed that it was busy "breaking the Opposition parties" amid the soaring prices of essential commodities.

"As we can see at present, inflation is going through the roof and the prices of essential commodities are sky-rocketing. On top of this, there is fear of shortage of grains, pulses and sugar. This has given rise to questions if the government is aware of the situation and is working to bring some respite to the common man burdened by runaway inflation. This government is merely busy breaking the Opposition parties, unleashing central agencies to harass Opposition leaders and resorting to politics while people continue to suffer," the editorial read, reported ANI.

In a rerun of the split in the undivided Shiv Sena, which saw the rival flock led by Eknath Shinde hitching it wagon with the BJP to unseat then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray from power, veteran Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar triggered a rebellion in the party earlier this year. Pawar, along with 8 loyalist MLAs, eventually joined the current National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in the state.

Hitting out at PM Modi, the piece read, "He brags about the country being on course to becoming the third biggest in the world but a 'mauni (silent) baba' on the issue of runaway inflation. The people, who are already bearing the brunt of inflation, are now being sucked into a shortage of essential food grains and pulses. However, those holding the reins of administration at the Centre are unmoved," reported ANI.

On August 4, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) demanded from him Rs 50 crore which the undivided party had collected through donations, and it showed that the Thackeray group only craves money, reported the PTI.

He returned this money, CM Shinde said, talking to reporters after the Monsoon session of the state legislature ended in Mumbai, according to the PTI.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Subhash Desai and Anil Desai wrote to him on the party's letterhead with bow-and-arrow symbol, asking for a deposit of Rs 50 crore which was in the party's name, CM Shinde said, as per the PTI.

CM Eknath Shinde, who split the Shiv Sena last year and toppled the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government, had also mentioned this in the assembly earlier in the day.

"They had no right to demand the money collected from donations as it belongs to the Sena workers. The Election Commission of India gave the party name and symbol to us. The demand shows that these people only love money and not the Sena workers and Balasaheb Thackeray's ideology," CM Shinde said, according to the news agency.

Asked about his comments in the assembly about a meeting at a five-star hotel in the city with a "close aide" of Uddhav Thackeray, Shinde said, "A meeting did take place, and this person, whom I do not want to name, said derogatory things about the former CM (Thackeray).....I can speak about it at an appropriate time," reported the PTI.

Instead of levelling allegations against him, Thackeray should introspect why "50 MLAs, 13 MPs, several corporators are leaving him and joining (the party espousing) Balasaheb's ideology," he said.

The chief minister termed the session as "successful and fruitful."

"We took several important decisions for the welfare of the state. Yesterday we took a decision about offering free treatment at public hospitals," he said.

(With inputs from PTI)