MUMBAI: Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday dismissed speculation that his party, the Shiv Sena, was getting closer to the BJP and slammed the Centre, alleging that the BJP was trying to destabilise the state government and trying to put pressure on the MVA by using the ED and CBI.
Asked about speculation that the erstwhile saffron allies were getting closer, especially after Thackeray’s meeting with PM Modi last month, Thackeray replied, “What happened despite us being together for 30 years? What can be expected now?” He was speaking to the media after the conclusion of the two-day monsoon session of the legislature.
Referring to Monday’s incident involving 12 BJP legislators who were suspended for a year for unruly behaviour before presiding officer Bhaskar Jadhav and to the BJP’s boycott of legislative business on Tuesday, Thackeray said, “We feel ashamed of incidents that happened in the last two days. Opposition party members abused Jadhav. Voters have sent someone to the assembly expecting that the elected representative will help change their lives.”
He added, “If the opposition is accusing us of throttling or blackening democracy by suspending its members, what are you (BJP) doing by making attempts to put pressure through the ED and CBI? Is it cleaning of democracy?” He further said, “If the opposition could not face the government and could not do what is expected , they (BJP) should publicly state they can’t face the government and will misuse power to put the (state) government under pressure through Central agencies.”
On the OBC quota, Devendra Fadnavis had claimed the Centre could not provide empirical data on OBCs as it was faulty. Thackeray asked how Fadnavis knew of the mistakes when the state did not.
