Maharashtra: Centre’s policies are destabilising India’s federal structure, says Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut

Rajya Sabha member of Parliament (MP) and Shiv Sena’s chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said that the Narendra Modi-led central government and the central policies

Rajya Sabha member of Parliament (MP) and Shiv Sena’s chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said that the Narendra Modi-led central government and the central policies were destabilising the federal structure of the country. Raut pointed out several issues, including the farmers’ agitation, the new Parliament building, Indo-China tensions, Centre claiming ownership of the land allotted for Mumbai Metro car shed and its alleged attempts in de-stabilizing the Madhya Pradesh government, in his weekly column RokhThok, in party mouthpiece Saamana.

Sanjay Raut. (HT Photo)

“Shockingly, the government is using all its might to see to it that Mamata Banerjee doesn’t assume power in West Bengal, BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) leader Kailash Vijayvargiya made is clear that Modi played a role in destabilising the Kamal Nath government in Madhya Pradesh. The states ruled by non-BJP parties look up to the Centre. But the federal structure is being systematically weakened. Congress government in Madhya Pradesh was pulled down by the BJP. There is instability in Kashmir valley. RJD’s (Rashtriya Janata Dal) Tejaswi Yadav posed a challenged in recent elections. All this may lead to the disintegration within the country, just like what happened in USSR [post-revolutionary Russia, Union of Soviet Socialist Republic],” he has stated.

Raut said that the Centre’s leadership should realise that the people’s interest has been jeopardised for the political gain of the ruling party. The outgoing year 2020 has posed a question mark on the credibility and efficiency of the central government. Farmers in Punjab are protesting, the Metro project in Mumbai is stuck because of the Central government. Tragically, the country’s future is in the hands of only 2-4 people,” the column reads.

“Lakhs of people lost their lives owing to the pandemic this year, but what was more horrifying in 2020 was that the country’s democratic foundation – the Parliament lost its soul. The very laws that the farmers are protesting against, because of which they are on the roads today, were passed in majority by this government,” Raut wrote.

The Sena leader also came down heavily on the government’s most ambitious project – The Central Vista project – aimed at giving Delhi’s power corridor – a complete makeover. “Instead of spending ₹1,000 crore on a new Parliament building, the money should be utilised to strengthen the health sector, and leaders like Modi must realise this,” Raut wrote.

He further said that if the Modi government were to collect funds for constructing the building – like being done for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya – it wouldn’t receive even a lakh. “Countries like the USA and UK helped their citizens in these tough times, but Indians got nothing,” he said stressing on how several people lost their jobs, faced salary-cuts and had to shut down their businesses this year.

“The year 2020 was dark, filled with instability and mental stress. We do not know how 2021 will turn out to be. People should take care of their families. Modi will take care of the country,” he wrote.