On 50th birthday, Raj Thackeray cuts EVM cake, Mumbaikars get 'cheap' petrol
Mumbai, June 14: On his 50th birthday on Thursday, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray cut a special cake designed like an EVM while 36 petrol pumps in Mumbai and many more in the state offered disounts from Rs 4 to Rs 9 per litre, a party spokesperson said.
At the selected 36 fuel stations in Mumbai (one in each assembly constituency), plus 48 in the state (one each for every Lok Sabha constituency), there were serpentine queues of two-wheelers since dawn to take advantage of the scheme offering discounted petrol, with the MNS to recompense these pumps the difference from the official price on Thursday.
MNS spokesperson Sandeep Deshpande compared the MNS's unique initiative to the 1930 historic 'Salt Satyagraha' of Mahatma Gandhi.
"This is like the Salt Satyagraha. People are not here to avail the discounts in petrol prices, but express their anguish against the government for the very high fuel prices," he told media persons.
Thackeray, on his part, made another statement - by cutting a large special cake designed like an electronic voting machine (EVM), which the MNS and almost all other opposition political parties are opposing.
As part of the celebrations, MNS activists helped provide some free comic relief to the people burdened under spiraling fuel prices and inflation - sporting printed T-shirts of some recent political cartoons created by Thackeray.
Hundreds of activists were seen thronging Thackeray's residence in Dadar west wearing these special T-shirts exhibiting his cartoons, many targeting the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President Amit Shah and other leaders, and his artistic views on many contemporary political developments in the country.
Meanwhile, Thursday's petrol price in Mumbai stood at Rs 84.3 per litre, down from the highest of Rs 85.6 in May, and the MNS 'discount' marked a significant relief for two-wheeler owners.
MNS will pay the owners the difference in the prices at the close of the day.
Though exact figures are not immediately available, it is estimated that several thousands of people took advantage of the MNS initiative at each of the selected outlets for the discounted fuel.
Elsewhere in the state, special prayers, aartis and poojas were held by local district leaders at prominent temples in Solapur, Pune and other places, praying for Thackeray's long life and prosperity.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Petrol pump worker killed as SUV hits motorcycle head-on in Gurugram
Gurugram (PTI): A petrol pump worker died after an SUV rammed into his motorcycle in the Sushant Lok area here, police said on Thursday.
The accused driver fled the scene, leaving the vehicle after the accident. An FIR has been registered at the Sushant Lok police station, they said.
According to police, the accident occurred on Wednesday afternoon when Mukesh was travelling from Sector 44 to Sushant Lok on Vyapar Kendra Road for some work.
Near Vyapar Kendra, a white Thar coming from the wrong side at high speed hit his motorcycle head-on, leaving him critically injured, they said.
The driver fled the scene, leaving the vehicle behind, police added.
Eyewitnesses claimed the vehicle had no number plates either at the front or rear.
Locals took Mukesh to a private hospital, where he died during treatment, police said. He was a resident of Rohta Patti in Palwal and worked at a petrol pump in Sector 44.
An FIR was registered against the unidentified driver, based on a complaint lodged by his brother Ashok. The body was handed over to the family after a post-mortem on Thursday, police said.
“The Thar vehicle has been seized from the spot. CCTV footage from the area is being examined, and the driver will be arrested soon,” a Gurugram police spokesperson said.
