Maharashtra industries minister and senior Congress leader Narayan Rane strongly condemned Shiv Sena for allegedly making baseless allegations against state government and alleged that saffron party was doing politics over the issue of water crisis and drought. “Sena president Uddhav Thackeray should first study and then talk about the issue. No leader has done politics on drought, but Shiv Sena is doing it,” Mr Rane alleged recently.
“Uddhav has not worked on any social issues. They should do some good work like organising job fairs to create employment for youth rather than making such statements,” he opined. On the Sena leader’s earlier remark that the Maharashtra leaders rallied in New Delhi for farmers, but ignored the farmers of Maharashtra, Mr Rane said “Our government is there at the Centre, therefore, we can go ten times to meet the Prime Minister.
That is our right.” “Uddhav only talks, nobody bothers about what he says,” he rued. It may be recalled that earlier this month, Uddhav visited Yavatmal district in Vidharbha region of the state where farmer, Gajanan Ghotekar, committed suicide and in a note blamed the Congress and NCP combine for the plight of farmers. He also appealed to the farmers not to vote for NCP and Congress. The state government had earlier sought a financial package of Rs 2,281.37 crore and five lakh tonne foodgrains at below poverty line (BPL) rates from the Centre to tackle drought situation in as many as 15 districts of the state. UNI