Mumbai: Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday slammed the BJP for alleging that there is an undeclared emergency in Maharashtra.
''If there is an undeclared emergency in the State, then there is a 'declared' emergency in the rest of the country, given the manner in which the protesting farmers are being targeted on the outskirts of Delhi,” asserted Thackeray.
''In Delhi, farmers are protesting in the cold. They are being sprayed with cold water. Is this how goodwill is generated? It is not in our culture to dub farmers, who are “our annadatas,” traitors,’’ said Thackeray, taking strong objection to the invective that has been tagged to the protestors -- traitors, terrorists and Maoists -- by a few BJP leaders.
''The BJP should decide whether protesters are getting support from Pakistan, China or Maoists. You bring sugar and onions from Pakistan. Now farmers are also coming from Pakistan,” he said with obvious sarcasm.
A visibly relaxed Thackeray hinted that when it comes to taking on estranged ally BJP, he will adhere to the maxim, 'offence is the best form of defence'.''
Thackeray was responding to Fadnavis's charge that his regime was “going after” Republic TV’s Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami and Bollywood actress Kanagana Ranaut. ''We do not agree with whatever Kangana Ranaut and Arnab Goswami say, but is this the way you target those who speak against you...there seems to be an undeclared Emergency,” said Fadnavis.
Another BJP leader and Union minister Raosaheb Danve, who hails from Maharashtra, recently stoked a controversy with his remarks that China and Pakistan were behind the protests being staged by peasants, eliciting a sharp reaction.
Thackeray, in turn, has accused the BJP and the party-led government at the Centre for deploying central investigating agencies, including CBI and ED, to settle political scores. ''These agencies are being used as house maids. People are watching,’’ he said.
Thackeray also asked the BJP not to disturb the social harmony and peace in the state by provoking various sections. '' Discussions are underway with Maratha leaders regarding reservation. The government will not touch the OBC quota to provide reservation to the Maratha community,’’ he said.
'‘Some people are spreading misconceptions in the OBC community. OBC reservation will not be diluted,'' he added.
