Maharashtra Dy CM Eknath Shinde ends speech with 'Jai Gujarat', starts political row
Mumbai, Jul 4 (PTI): Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday signed off a speech at a Pune event attended by Union minister Amit Shah with the slogan "Jai Gujarat", and set off a controversy with opposition parties accusing him of betraying Marathi pride.
The Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) accused the Shiv Sena chief of prioritising political appeasement over Maharashtra's interests.
Defending himself, Shinde said he first said "Jai Hind, Jai Maharashtra" at the event of "Gujarati brothers", and by adding "Jai Gujarat" he only wanted to pay a tribute to the community that has long contributed to Maharashtra's economic growth.
State Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal called for Shinde's resignation.
"Maharashtra is the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj who stood for self-respect and sovereignty. It is a matter of shame that a leader occupying deputy Chief Minister's chair chants 'Jai Gujarat'....This is nothing but political slavery," Sapkal said.
"His slogan is not just sycophancy, it is an insult to every proud Maharashtrian. Shinde's actions show how deeply entrenched Gujarat's influence has become in Maharashtra politics under the current regime," he claimed.
Several major projects including a Vedanta-Foxconn semiconductor plant were diverted to Gujarat, the Congress leader alleged, adding that Maharashtra lost employment opportunities for its youth. "Industries, corporate offices and investment of thousands of crores are being shifted to Gujarat. This is happening under Shinde and (Chief Minister) Fadnavis's watch," he said.
NCP (SP) spokesperson Clyde Crasto also linked Shinde's slogan to the `migration' of projects.
"It was proven today that when Eknath Shinde was made the chief minister of Maharashtra, why projects meant for the state kept going to Gujarat. The truth is, he was working for the 'Jai' (triumph) of Gujarat," Crasto said.
"Shinde came to power with the support of the 'Marathi manoos', but today, he has betrayed them," he added.
Shinde himself termed the controversy a non-issue which was being inflated to derive political mileage.
"While speaking at an event of Gujarati brothers in Pune, after saying 'Jai Hind, Jai Maharashtra,' I also said 'Jai Gujarat'. This is being blown out of proportion. 'Jai Gujarat' was not a political slogan, but a tribute to the entrepreneurial and spirited Gujarati community in Pune," Shinde stressed.
He also took a swipe at the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), saying, "They put up hoardings seeking votes of Gujarati people during the assembly elections and now are trying to tarnish my image. They should introspect before levelling unfounded accusations."
The Gujarati community has contributed to Maharashtra's economic growth and deserves respect, not contempt, he further said.
"Gujarat is not Pakistan, and the opposition should understand this first. Those who are angry over me saying 'Jai Gujarat' must answer where their outrage was when Pakistan's flags were waved in their processions," he asked.
Targeting the Thackeray-led Sena (UBT), Shinde said, "Who were the ones putting up hoardings saying 'Kem Chho Worli'? Who published pamphlets like 'Jalebi Fafda, Uddhav Thackeray Apda' to woo Gujarati voters?"
Hindutva is his party's soul and Marathi is its breath, Shinde said, adding that their roots were connected to the Marathi people.
Calling for maturity in political discourse, Shinde also accused the opposition of trying to polarise voters by portraying Gujaratis as "second-class citizens."
It will damage Maharashtra's image nationally, he said, adding that Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray never saw Gujaratis as enemies.
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis also defended his colleague, saying "such parochial thinking does not befit Marathi manoos".
"Just because Shinde said 'Jai Gujarat', it doesn't mean that he loves Gujarat more than Maharashtra," Fadnavis told reporters.
Recalling a past incident, he said, "When a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was unveiled at Chikodi in Karnataka, Sharad Pawar had said "Jai Maharashtra, Jai Karnataka". Does this mean that Pawar loves Karnataka more?"
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Bridge collapse in Jammu: 3 bodies, 1 injured pulled out from rubble; probe ordered
Jammu (PTI): Rescue workers pulled out three bodies and an injured person from the debris of a partially collapsed old bridge during a 12-hour search operation on the outskirts of Jammu, officials said on Saturday.
One injured worker was rescued on Friday, shortly after a portion of the bridge collapsed in the Thuther area of Bantalab.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary rushed to the spot at midnight and ordered the suspension of two engineers. The government has also constituted a committee to probe the incident.
According to the officials, labourers were carrying out retaining wall and foundation-laying work on the bridge, which was damaged in flash floods last year, when a portion of it gave way, trapping four of them.
Police, Army, National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force, and fire and emergency department immediately launched a rescue operation. The rescue teams first pulled out a labourer, who was identified as Tarsem Lal, the officials said.
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"The search and rescue operation concluded this morning. Three bodies have been recovered from the spot. Two others have been rescued in injured condition," a senior officer told PTI.
The bodies were recovered during the 12-hour search operation, which went on through the night under floodlights, the officials said.
Among the two injured was Divisional Fire Officer, Fire and Emergency Services Department, Mohammad Jaffar, who was hit by a boulder during the rescue operation. The injured have been hospitalised.
Deputy Chief Minister Choudhary was briefed about the incident after he reached the spot at midnight.
"I have ordered the suspension of the assistant executive engineer and the junior engineer. I have also issued directions to the engineer-in-chief for attachment of the executive engineer," he told reporters at the spot.
Choudhary ordered a probe into the incident and directed the authorities to complete it in five days.
Following his order, Assistant Executive Engineer Sahil Verma and Junior Engineer Sajad Mir were placed under suspension, pending inquiry into their conduct, the officials said.
The government has also constituted a three-member inquiry committee headed by Purshotam Kumar, Secretary Technical (Engineer-in-Chief), Public Works (R&B) Department, they said.
Superintendent Engineer, Public Works (R&B), Circle Jammu South, Arit Gupta, and Executive Engineer, Public Works (R&B) Satwari division, Rajan Mengi are members of the panel, they said.
