Uddhav Thackeray mounts attack on Centre, Mahayuti govt. over NEET, Ram Temple leakage

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday, June 27, 2024, criticised the Mahayuti government, calling it a “Mahagalti sarkar ” and a “leakage sarkar ”, referring to alleged irregularities in NEET and water seepage at Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

He termed the monsoon session of the State legislature, the final session before Maharashtra goes for vote later this year, which began on Thursday, as the “send-off” session for the government led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The former Chief Minister also demanded a complete waiver of farm loans before the election.

“The Centre and the State are leakage sarkar, not double engine sarkar because exam papers (NEET) were leaked and also because there is leakage in the Ram temple’s sanctum sanctorum. They have no shame. They can’t build a temple properly and do administration, why should we vote for them,” he alleged.

Mr. Thackeray highlighted the NEET row and the recent statement by Ram Janmabhoomi temple chief priest Acharya Satyendra Das about water leakage and targeted the NDA government.

Earlier, Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) legislators, including those from the Sena (UBT), the Congress, and the NCP (SP), had protested against the government over the NEET exam and demanded loan waivers for farmers on the premises of the Assembly. As Mr. Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis passed by, they raised slogans such as “commission sarkar down down”.

Stating that 6,250 farmers have died by suicide in the State in the last two years, with 1,046 suicides since January this year alone, the Sena (UBT) leader demanded a complete waiver of farm loans. “This government is against farmers, youth, and daily wagers. There should be a complete waiver of farm loans immediately and this should be implemented before the State election. Moreover, this government had announced an assistance of ₹10,020 crore for the farmers which is yet to be released,” he said, accusing the Central government of insensitivity over water issues in the country.

He predicted a “rain of assurances” in the budget to be presented by Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday and called for a white paper on the promises fulfilled over the past two years. “There is going to be a rain of assurances tomorrow, but nothing will happen. First, they should tell people what promises they have fulfilled in the last two years,” Mr. Thackeray said.

Addressing reports of a new scheme to be announced by the government for women similar to Madhya Pradesh’s Ladli Behna scheme, he suggested a similar initiative for men, citing rising unemployment.

The Sena (UBT) leader supported his party’s MLC Anil Parab’s demand to reserve 50% of homes in Mumbai’s new residential projects for Marathi-speaking people, noting their declining numbers in the city.

Regarding his chance meeting with Mr. Fadnavis in a lift at the State legislature, which gained attention on social media, Mr. Thackeray called it a “mere coincidence” and an “informal meeting.”

“People must have thought of the song, ‘na na karte pyar tumhi se kar baithe’ [I fell in love with you despite denials[. But no such thing will happen,” he said.

He also said that their party will field its candidate for the upcoming Maharashtra Legislative Council election, asserting that the Opposition has got its math right in order to get its nominee elected. “We will field a candidate in the council polls because there are 11 seats and every party can win one seat each. Our votes are fixed. Our calculations need not be told publicly. How I will win the poll need not be told... Our math is right,” he said.

Meanwhile, in the Assembly, Speaker Rahul Narwekar announced the resignation of seven MLAs who have been elected as members of the 18th Lok Sabha.

Congress’ Praniti Shinde, Pratibha Dhanorkar, Balwant Wankhede, and Varsha Gaikwad, Shiv Sena’s Ravindra Waikar and Sandipan Bhumre, and Nilesh Lanke of NCP (SP) were elected as MP in the recently concluded Lok Sabha election.

Raju Parve of the Congress had quit as an MLA before the Lok Sabha election to contest from Ramtek Parliamentary constituency, which he lost. The Assembly also paid homage to members Meenakshi Patil, Pandurang Patil, Prataprao Bhosale, Gangadhar Gade, Trimbak Kamble, Dominic Gonsalves, and Dagdu Galande who passed away recently.

On Wednesday, the Opposition alliance boycotted Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s customary tea party on the eve of the session, accusing the government of failing to address the issues of the masses.