Maharashtra: Thackeray faction targets Shinde-Fadnavis govt and the Centre over unemployment, economic crisis

The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction, in the party mouthpiece Saamna’s editorial, has lashed out at the Shinde-Fadnavis government -- which was formed in June after the collapse of the MVA government following the Eknath Shinde led rebellion -- saying that it was busy in making a slew of announcements, especially when the farmers are struggling to stay afloat amid damage caused by devastating rains and floods, while the citizens are finding it difficult to survive in the wake of burgeoning price rise, unemployment and the possible recession.

The rulers are celebrating Diwali in a big way, but what about the citizens and farmers, the editorial demanded too know.

‘’Even though the Centre and the state government are giving various promises, there is a complete darkness in the lives of people. Where is the Diwali of ‘’Achhe Din’’ lost? Why is the economy in a bad shape? Why has there been a continuous slide in the rupee against the rising dollar? Why is there no fall in inflation? Why do the prices of gas and petrol rise? Why are the number of unemployed people increasing day by day? These issues are confronted by the citizens and when they worsen the government will be under fire,’’ said Saamna in its firebrand editorial.

The government should not be under the illusion that citizens have forgotten the problems that people face in their daily life, it added.

The editorial went on to say that the government should think about how to remove the darkness in the lives of the worried farmers who are hit hard due to the wet drought. This year's monsoon devastated the farmers from the beginning. Millions of hectares of crops were destroyed. Moong, Soybean and cotton crops rotted in the fields due to the water-logging caused by excessive rainfall.

The ‘’Mindhe Sarkar’’ (referring to the government headed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who after staging a rebellion with 39 other Shiv Sena legislators joined hands with BJP to form the government) should provide a much needed relief to the farmers and the citizens before the end of ongoing Diwali festival, the editorial concluded.