Row erupts over Maharashtra chief minister, MLA’s photos on flood relief material

Rice and wheat packets being supplied in flood-hit areas were found bearing names and photos of chief minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis and Ichalkaranji (Kolhapur) MLA Suresh Halwankar.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government got embroiled in a new controversy on Saturday, after rice and wheat packets being supplied in flood-hit areas were found bearing names and photos of chief minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis and Ichalkaranji (Kolhapur) MLA Suresh Halwankar.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government got embroiled in a new controversy on Saturday. (Pratham Gokhale/HT Photo)

Even as the photos of the relief packets went viral on social media and members of the opposition slammed the government, Halwankar said the photos had been stuck by the shop owners. Meanwhile, Fadnavis clarified that it was the government’s duty to carry out relief work.

Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said, “It is the moral and constitutional duty of the government to help people facing severe floods, but it is now acting as a trader where votes are being traded for help. This is absolutely condemnable.”

Nawab Malik, NCP spokesperson and the party’s Mumbai unit president, said that the incident has revealed the state government’s “irresponsible behaviour.” “The chief minister and his leaders are more interested in publicity than ensuring help for the people. The government is in election mode,” he said.

“There is no need to stick anyone’s photo on the relief material. Relief and rescue is the government’s duty,” said Fadnavis.

This is not the first time that the BJP landed itself in a soup this week. On Friday, water resources minister Girish Mahajan was found taking selfies while visiting affected areas in Kolhapur. Earlier, the state also faced criticism for listing unreasonable conditions in a government resolution (GR) to provide financial assistance to affected families . One such condition was that the assistance would be provided only if the family’s house remains submerged for more than two days.