Uddhav targets BJP-led Centre, Mahayuti over NEET, Ayodhya temple; calls them ‘leakage govts’
Mumbai, Jun 27: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday took a swipe at the BJP-led Centre and ruling Mahayuti in Maharashtra, calling the dispensations “leakage governments”, a reference to alleged irregularities in NEET and water seepage at Ayodhya Ram temple.
Addressing a press conference here, he also termed the monsoon session of the state legislature, which commenced on Thursday, as the “send-off” session of the government led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. He demanded that farm loans be waived before the assembly elections, scheduled later this year.
Earlier in the day, legislators belonging to the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comprising the Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (SP) raised slogans against the government over the NEET exam on the premises of the legislature complex.
Thackeray raked up the row over NEET and the recent statement of Acharya Satyendra Das, Ram Janmabhoomi temple’s chief priest, about water leakage at the Ayodhya shrine, to target the Centre and state governments.
“The Centre and the state are leakage governments because exam papers (NEET) were leaked and there is leakage in the Ram temple sanctum sanctorum. They have no shame,” he said.
The former chief minister also demanded that farm loans be waived before the assembly elections.
“There should be a complete waiver of farm loans immediately and this should be implemented before the state polls,” Thackeray said.
Thackeray said 6,250 farmers have died in the state in the last two years. Since January 1 alone, 1,046 farmers have committed suicide, he said.
He also said that an assistance of Rs 10,020 crore announced for the farmers was yet to be released.
Thackeray accused the BJP-led Centre of being insensitive over water woes in the country.
Ahead of the state budget, which will be presented on Friday, Thackeray said there will be “rain of assurances” in the budget, but the government should also present a white paper on the promises it has fulfilled in the last two years.
On reports that the state will launch a scheme for women on the lines of Madhya Pradesh’s ‘Ladli Behna’ programme, Thackeray said a similar initiative should be launched for men in view of the rising unemployment in the state.
He also backed his party's member of legislative council Anil Parab's demand to reserve 50 per cent homes in new residential projects in Mumbai for Marathi-speaking people. Parab had claimed that their number was declining in the metropolis.
About his chance meeting with Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis in a lift at the state legislature building which was garnering much attention on social media, he called it a “mere coincidence”. It was an “informal meeting”, he said.
In the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, Sena (UBT) and its partners Congress and NCP (SP) put up a good show bagging 30 of the 48 seats in the state. This has led to speculations over new political alignments ahead of the assembly polls.
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Brothers awaiting board exam results drown in canal
Erode (Tamil Nadu) (PTI): Minor brothers who were awaiting their board exam results have drowned in a canal in this district while spending their Summer holidays at their aunt's place, police said.
According to Arachalure Police, Santhosh, aged 17, and his younger brother Sanjai, aged 15, natives of Musiri village in Tiruchirapalli district, came to Gopaliparai hamlet near Arachalure to their Aunt's house a couple of days ago after writing their annual 12th and 10th examinations, respectively.
The police said on Friday that both boys went to the nearby Lower Bhavani Project canal to take a bath. It was alleged that while taking a bath, both boys went to a deeper area of the canal and went missing.
As they didn't return home, even two hours after they left, their aunt grew suspicious and informed the Fire and Rescue Services, Chennimalai. A rescue team from the department rushed to the spot. After a few minutes of searching, they located the dead bodies of the brothers and sent them to the hospital. Arachalure police registered a case of death due to drowning and are investigating.
