Rane: Would’ve given a tight slap to Uddhav
Rane attacks CM Thackeray over his alleged ignorance of yr of Independence; Sena MLA says Rane has lost his balance, calls remark new low
MUMBAI: Union minister Narayan Rane, who began his Konkan tour on Monday as part of his Jan Ashirwad Yatra, kicked up a fresh controversy with his attack on chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. He used derogatory words for Thackeray, who is also the chief of Shiv Sena, in his speech in Raigad, referring to the latter’s ignorance about the count of Independence Day. The Shiv Sena said that Rane has stopped to a new low while trying to please his political bosses.
Rane, during his press conference, said, “It is shameful that the CM does not know the year of Independence. He leaned back to enquire about the count of years of Independence during his speech. Had I been there, I would have given a tight slap.”
He further held Thackeray responsible for the Covid-19 situation in the state. “We have lost 157,000 people to Covid-19 due to the sorry state of health infrastructure in the state. There are no doctors, medical staff available or medicines in the hospital. Industries will not be revived for the next 10 years, as he is scared (of giving relaxations). All this has happened because of him.”
Rane has been targeting Shiv Sena during his yatra, which kicked off on August 19 in Mumbai. He had said that the Sena had reduced Mumbai to a sorry state, even after ruling for more than 32 years. He said the BJP will wrest the power from the Sena in the civic polls slated to be held early next year. Inducted recently into the
Union cabinet as MSME minister, Rane is the bete noire of Shiv Sena for the past 15 years, since he left the party to join the Congress in 2005. His induction ahead of the polls to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is seen as an attempt by the BJP to gain political edge in Konkan and Mumbai.
After touring parts of Mumbai and Thane for three days last week, Rane resumed his yatra in Raigad district of coastal Konkan region on Monday, in the presence of Maharashtra Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Chandrakant Patil. He addressed public meetings in Raigad on the fourth day of the yatra.
Shiv Sena’s Ratnagiri-sindhudurg MP Vinayak Raut remarked that Rane has lost his mental balance. “In his attempt to woo the party leadership, Rane has been attacking the Shiv Sena and its leadership. He has lost his mental balance after his induction in the Union cabinet. His statement is similar to that of his cabinet colleague Raosaheb Danve’s recent jibe against Rahul Gandhi. PM Narendra Modi should clean up his cabinet by showing them the door. Rane was inducted into the cabinet just to attack the Shiv Sena, and while doing his job Rane has stooped to a new low,” he said.
Rane also batted for the revival of the refinery project at Nanar in Ratnagiri. He said that the project was very important for the development of the country. “It will play a key role in the development of Konkan too. I am very positive about revival of the project,” he said, in a press conference in Raigad. He also criticised the state government’s decision of not allowing dahi handi celebration, amid the threat of third wave of Covid-19. He said that he will stand by the organisers of events if the Hindu festivals are banned.
Chandrakant Patil said that by inducting four new faces, Maharashtra has been given largest representation in the Union cabinet by Modi. “The jan ashirwad yatra has been receiving overwhelming response across the state. Through the initiative, we are taking the central schemes and programmes to people and also trying to judge their expectations from us. Narayan Rane was inducted into the cabinet keeping his huge experience in mind. His ministry will play a key role in industrial development on the state,” he said.
PATIL SAID THAT BY INDUCTING FOUR NEW FACES, MAHA HAS BEEN GIVEN LARGEST REPRESENTATION IN THE UNION CABINET BY MODI