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.
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What was the need to disrespect 82-year-old leader: Priyanka slams PM
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of disrespecting Mallikarjun Kharge by not replying to the Congress president's letter himself, and said it is unfortunate that leaders in the highest positions have rejected great traditions of democracy.
The Congress general secretary said today's politics is full of poison and the prime minister should have set a different example, keeping the dignity of his post in mind.
On Tuesday, Kharge had written a letter to the prime minister and raised the issue of "extremely objectionable" and violent statements by the ruling alliance members targeting Rahul Gandhi, urging him to discipline his leaders.
In response to Kharge's letter to Modi, BJP chief J P Nadda wrote to the Congress president and cited his party's own litany of complaints against the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and other Congress members for their choice of words against the prime minister.
In a post in Hindi on X, Priyanka Gandhi said that in view of the unrestrained and violent statements of some BJP leaders and ministers, Congress president and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Kharge wrote a letter to the PM, concerned about the safety of the life of Rahul Gandhi.
"If the Prime Minister had faith in democratic values, balanced dialogue and respect for elders, he would have himself replied to this letter.
Instead, he got a low-level and aggressive reply written by Nadda ji and sent it," she said.
What was the need to disrespect an 82-year-old senior public leader, Priyanka Gandhi asked.
"The tradition and culture of democracy is to ask questions and have a dialogue. Even in religion, no one is above values such as dignity and etiquette," she said.
"Today's politics is full of poison, the Prime Minister should have set a different example, keeping the dignity of his post in mind," Priyanka Gandhi said.
If the PM had respectfully replied to the letter of a senior politician, his image and dignity would have increased in the eyes of the public, she said.
"It is unfortunate that our leaders in the highest positions in the government have rejected these great traditions," Priyanka Gandhi said.
The Congress on Thursday had said Prime Minister Modi must rise above "petty politics" and condemn the actions of the ruling alliance leaders, who targeted Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
The opposition party had asserted the whole world is watching how the ruling BJP is "putting the life of the Leader of the Opposition in danger".
The assertion came in a letter by AICC general secretary in-charge Jairam Ramesh to Nadda in response to the BJP chief's letter to Kharge earlier.
The opposition party has slammed as "intemperate" and "juvenile" Nadda's reply to Kharge on his letter to Prime Minister Modi flagging "threats" aimed at Gandhi.
