Uddhav Thackeray calls BJP ‘dagabaz sarkar’, says they have no right to chant ‘Vande Mataram’
Jalna (PTI): Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday called the BJP-led Maharashtra government a “dagabaz sarkar” (treacherous government), accusing it of betraying farmers.
He said the BJP and its allies have no right to chant the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ when they are “looting Bharat Mata”, referring to the controversial Pune land deal involving a firm linked to Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s son Parth.
The Sena (UBT) chief was speaking after visiting Patoda village in Partur tehsil of Jalna district on the last day of his four-day tour of the Marathwada region to take stock of the devastation caused by torrential rains this monsoon.
Farmers suffered heavy losses due to intense rains and floods, yet the government’s relief measures remained slow and inadequate, he alleged.
“Farmers are not getting fair prices for their produce. The government announced procurement at MSP (minimum support price), but the purchasing centres started (operating) very late,” Thackeray said.
The former chief minister accused the government of deliberately delaying the ‘panchnama’ (damage assessment) process.
“The government is deceiving farmers. That’s why I call upon farmers to make their own panchnama of this ‘dagabaz sarkar’,” he said, urging farmers to visit government officials and ask them whether they did loss assessment and submit reports.
He also questioned the date of June 30, 2026, given by the government for a decision on farm loan waiver, terming it “bogus and deceitful.”
Thackeray said the “so-called” package declared by the chief minister is nothing but “cheating the farmers”. “Fadnavis called it a historic package. I call it a great deception,” he said, demanding Rs 50,000 per hectare compensation for affected cultivators.
The Devendra Fadnavis-led government last month announced a Rs 31,628-crore relief package for farmers in the state, saying heavy showers and floods damaged crops over 68.7 lakh hectares across 29 districts. At that time, the CM had termed the package an “unprecedented effort” by the government to stand firmly with every affected farmer in the time of crisis.
Thackeray also targeted the CM over the Pune land deal.
“Fadnavis has no courage to act. This is nothing but a loot of public money and the country. BJP and its allies have no right to chant Vande Mataram when they are looting Bharat Mata,” Thackeray said.
Hitting out at Deputy CM and NCP chief Ajit Pawar, who had criticised repeated demands for loan waivers, Thackeray said, “Ajit Pawar himself has benefited from land deals. He has no moral right to speak about farmers.”
He accused the BJP of becoming a “Bharashtachar Janata Party” and alleged that the government had indulged in scams and corruption.
“The prime minister made ‘notebandi’ (demonetisation). Now, farmers should make ‘votebandi’ against the BJP and its allies,” he said.
After their dismal performance in last year’s assembly elections, the Sena (UBT) and its MVA allies, the Congress and NCP (SP), are gearing up for the upcoming local body polls in the state. The ruling Mahayuti has the BJP, Ajit Pawar-led NCP and Shiv Sena, headed by Eknath Shinde, as partners.
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South African police arrest suspect in mass shooting that killed 12, including 3 children
Johannesburg (AP): A 32-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting which claimed the lives of 12 people including three children at an unlicensed pub earlier this month, South African police said on Monday.
The man is suspected of being one of the three people who opened fire on patrons in a pub at Saulsville township, west of South Africa's capital Pretoria, killing 12 people including three children aged 3, 12 and 16.
At least 13 people were also injured during the attack, whose motive remains unknown.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested on Sunday while traveling to Botlokwa in Limpopo province, more than 340 km from where the mass shooting took place on Dec 6.
An unlicensed firearm believed to have been used during the attack was recovered from the suspect's vehicle.
“The 32-year-old suspect was intercepted by Limpopo Tracking Team on the R101 Road in Westenburg precinct. During the arrest, the team recovered an unlicensed firearm, a hand gun, believed to have been used in the commission of the multiple murders. The firearm will be taken to the Forensic Science Laboratory for ballistic analysis,” police said in statement.
The suspect was arrested on the same day that another mass shooting at a pub took place in the Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, in which nine people were killed and 10 wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire on patrons.
Police have since launched a search for the suspects.
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and recorded more than 26,000 homicides in 2024 — an average of more than 70 a day. Firearms are by far the leading cause of death in homicides.
The country of 62 million people has relatively strict gun ownership laws, but many killings are committed with illegal guns, according to authorities.
According to police, mass shootings at unlicensed bars are becoming a serious problem. Police shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns between April and September this year and arrested more than 18,000 people for involvement in illegal liquor sales.
