Shiv Sena hits out at Centre for not taking action against Akbar
Mumbai, Oct 16 : People involved in misconduct towards women are in the Cabinet, Bharatiya Janata Party ally Shiv Sena said Tuesday.
Sena, without naming anyone, attacked at the Centre for not taking any action against Union minister M J Akbar, who is facing allegations of sexual harassment. Several women journalists have come out and accused Akbar, a former newspaper editor and now the Union minister of state for external affairs, of sexually harassing them during his stint as a journalist.
Akbar has rejected the allegations as "false, fabricated and deeply distressing", and also filed a private criminal defamation complaint in a Delhi court Monday against one of journalists who levelled charges against him.
Sena, in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamna' said, "The BJP (prior to 2014 Lok Sabha polls) had promised food, clothing and shelter to all and also to make a 'moral country'. But people involved in misconduct towards women are in the Cabinet while decisions are taken to encourage alcoholism."
In the editorial, it also criticised the Maharashtra government's proposal of online sale and home delivery of liquor. It said amid water scarcity in Maharashtra, the state was also suffering from an "intellectual drought".
Excise Minister Chandrakant Bawankule said Sunday the BJP-led government had decided to allow online sale and home delivery of liquor in the state, but later stated that only a proposal for this was received.
The Sena said the government cited two reasons behind such a proposal - that it would bring down cases of drunken driving and check liquor adulteration.
"The state is facing water drought but now it seems there is also an 'intellectual drought'. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had not made any promise before the Lok Sabha polls of home delivery of liquor," it said.
What is the guarantee that people will not drive after getting drunk at home? it wondered.
"The government is so careful of people that it decided to deliver liquor at their doorsteps. The figures of people dying due to malnutrition and of unemployment are already out. Has the government found home delivery of liquor a solution to this? the Marathi daily taunted.
How much revenue the government will get from such a decision is not known, but the proposal must have been mooted after forging a "deal" with liquor makers, the Sena claimed.
"This is how large amount of funds are raised for election. The BJP's fund raising formula is now open...this has exposed the party's real face," it said.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has clarified that there was no proposal to sell liquor online, then why his Cabinet colleague spoke about it? it sought to know.
It seems the party wanted to gauge people's reaction just by dropping hints about such a proposal, said the Sena, an ally of the BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra.
"If the government wants to offer home delivery, it should rather focus on supplying fodder to people rearing cattle, drinking water and food wherever required," it opined.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
