“Lock-shahi” in state, instead of “lokshahi”, says Fadnavis in critique of MVA govt

Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, Devendra Fadnavis, on Monday, alleged the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government is not serious about providing any financial aid to the vulnerable sections

Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, Devendra Fadnavis, on Monday, alleged the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government is not serious about providing any financial aid to the vulnerable sections.

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Fadnavis took a dig at the state government amid talks that an extended lockdown is imminent in Maharashtra in view of a steep rise in Covid-19 cases, saying that there is a “lockshahi” in the state now, instead of “lokshahi” (democracy).

Senior BJP leaders while addressing a rally for the upcoming bypolls in the Pandharpur-Mangalvedha Assembly constituency in Solapur district also said changing government in Maharashtra is up to Fadnavis.

NCP’s Bhagirath Bhalke, son of former MLA Bharat Bhalke, is contesting against BJP’s Samadhan Autade.

The bypolls scheduled on April 17 were necessitated for the Pandharpur-Mangalvedha seat after the demise of three-term NCP legislator Bharat Bhelke, in the last week of November.

“When this government came into power, it was called Maha Vikas Aghadi, but now it has become a “Maha Vasooli (extortion) Aghadi”. The way they have started the vasooli from police, farmers and the common man, it shows that all the

three ruling parties (Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress), have only one agenda and that is to collect money from wherever it is possible,” Fadnavis alleged.

Fadnavis was referring to allegations of

corruption raised by former Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh, against then home minister Anil Deshmukh, an NCP stalwart.

The former chief minister also said the highest number of Covid-19 cases and fatalities are being reported from Maharashtra.

“In the last 10 days, 50 to 55 per cent of the total deaths in the country were reported from Maharashtra. Similarly, 60 per cent of the total cases in the country were also reported from Maharashtra,” he said, adding, “I can understand locking and unlocking (to contain the spread of coronavirus) is important, but when a lockdown is imposed, people lose their jobs. Unfortunately,

the state government is not at all conscious about providing financial help to the (vulnerable) people”.

He said governments in Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka have helped the common man and farmers.

“It is the responsibility of the state government to help people in distress, but this (MVA) government, instead of helping people, is recovering power bills from them like the “jizya” tax that used to be imposed during the Mughal era,” Fadnavis said.

He said the state government has stopped disconnecting power connections of people (who have failed to clear their dues) due to this by-election.

“But you will see that the government will resume snapping power connections after the bypoll is conducted on April 17,” he claimed.

Fadnavis said West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, the communists and the Congress will receive a big jolt on May 2 when results of the assembly polls held in five states are out.

Speaking at another campaign rally, Fadanvis said, “People may think what difference a bypoll will make to change the state government. Leave it to me when to change this government. We will change that, but for now, this bypoll is important as the people of this constituency have got the opportunity to show the government its place”.

(With agency inputs)