Aaditya slams Centre over handling of farmers' protest
The state tourism minister questions the silence of Union govt on their issues
Let anyone in the world tweet. But why the Centre is silent on the ongoing farmers' agitation. I saw photos of the Delhi border and I was shocked. Is the Delhi border the Chinese border?
– Aaditya Thackeray, Tourism Minister
A day after tweets by celebrities in support of India after American pop singer Rihanna and climate activist Greta Thunberg extended their support, the Maharashtra Tourism Minister Aaditya Thackeray targeted the BJP-led government at the Centre saying why it has been silent on the farmers' protest. ‘’Isn’t it their responsibility to solve the problem?’’ he asked.
''Let anyone in the world tweet. But why the Centre is silent on the ongoing farmers' agitation. I saw photos of the Delhi border and I was shocked. Is the Delhi border the Chinese border? How do you build walls to block the farmers?'' he asked.
Aaditya’s attack came hours after the Opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha criticised the government. RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha, TMC MP Derek O’Brien, Congress MP Digvijay Singh and a couple of others attacked the Centre over its handling of the farmers’ protest. Jha said the government has lost the patience to hear and any criticism is painted as anti-national.
Earlier, Shiv Sena in its mouthpiece Saamna alleged that it was the "desire of the government to discredit the movement by provoking the farmers to commit violence. If it had fulfilled its desire on January 26, then it has brought the country into disrepute."
"It is not right to put the responsibility of violence on farmers only. The government has done what it wanted. Its victims are farmers, policemen, and young men who shed their blood," it added.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said it was the arrogance of the Centre which has led to the deteriorating situation in Delhi and asked it to introspect as to why the law and order in the national capital collapsed.
Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government has put on hold the implementation of three farm laws in Maharashtra. It has set up a cabinet sub-committee to speak to all stakeholders and consider crafting its own law ensuring minimum support price to the farmers and penal action against traders for its nonpayment.