Eyebrows were raised after the Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray MP Mr Sanjay Raut, a day after his release, on Thursday softened his tone and showered praise on the Deputy Chief Minister Mr Devendra Fadnavis.
“There is a new government in Maharashtra, which has taken some good decisions too. We will not oppose for the sake of opposing. We have never done that,” he said.
He took some good decisions...
"Devendra Fadnavis has taken some good decisions. Some decisions, such as housing for the poor, are good,’’ added. He referred to the Shinde Fadnavis government’s decision to give more rights to the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority.
“Our government (Maha Vikas Aghadi) had taken away those rights. I did not like that. Mr Fadnavis has done well to restore those,” he noted. He also announced that he would soon meet Mr Fadnavis with regard to some public work.
Will meet Modi and Shah
"I will also meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah and tell them what is happening to me. I had read that Devendra Fadnavis said political bitterness should be reduced in the state. I welcome his statement," said Mr Raut.
After meeting with the Shiv Sena UBT chief Mr Uddhav Thackeray, Mr Raut also met the NCP president Mr Sharad Pawar.
“I thought people would forget me in three months. But I got a lot of calls since my release yesterday. Uddhav ji was regularly in touch with me. Pawar sahib also spoke to me on the phone.”
He, however without naming anyone slammed, ‘’the kind of political vendetta that was not seen even when the country was enslaved for 150 years”.
My family suffered a lot...
Mr Raut said that the court order has sent an encouraging sign across India. ‘’I will not comment on that or on the ED. Nor will I speak on the architects of this controversy. If my incarceration made them happy, let that be so. In my heart I hold no grudge against anyone ever. My family suffered a lot. But such is life. We are in politics,” he added. He refused to “blame the system as a whole”.
“Nor do I blame any central probe agency. When they get a chance to do good things, they should,” he said. He opined that no one should be arrested on false charges.
He said he took inspiration from Hindutva icon VD Savarkar, freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar, and “tall leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee” who spent time in jail. “Whoever is in politics has to go to jail at some point, I told myself.”
Meanwhile, the MNS leader Gajanan Kale mocked Mr Raut and said, ‘’ Yesterday's caged tiger was talking like a cat today.’’
