Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Chief Raj Thackeray on Monday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over demonetization.
“On the day of announcement of demonetization, Modi was saying with great confidence and telling people to see what happens on December 30, but nothing has happened,” he told reporters here. The MNS chief also criticised the decision announced by Modi of giving Rs 6,000 to pregnant women. Thackeray was in the city to inaugurate party’s new office for coming civic elections
Referring to Supreme Court’s ruling against seeking votes on the grounds of “religion, race, caste and community or language”, he said India is a huge country and ground reality should be checked before passing such a judgement.
Thackeray also criticised BJP for naming a railway station in Mumbai as Ram Mandir and said that despite having power, they are not able to build actual Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. “They came to power using Ram Mandir issue, now they have changed the stand and when they have power, why can’t they build Ram Mandir and instead named a railway station as Ram Mandir,” he said.
“Instead of erecting the memorial, if the same funds could be utilised to conserve the existing forts in the state, the next generations will get to learn who was Shivaji Maharaj and his valiant tenure,” he said on the memorial for the 17th century Maratha warrior king to be built, off Mumbai coast. Dismissing BJP’s victory in municipal council elections, Raj said the BJP did not have their own candidates.
“Though they are claiming big victory in these elections, however, the reality is that it is victory of Congress and NCP as most of the BJP’s candidates were brought from these parties,” he alleged.
Thackeray also said in the upcoming elections, MNS will fight the polls with complete strength.
Sena Minister mocks demonetization:
A Shiv Sena leader and a member of Devendra Fadnavis-led ministry in Maharashtra today ridiculed demonetization, saying the exercise only helped unearth `black money’ of housewives.
“The common man is bearing the brunt of demonetization. Fifty days after the decision there is no respite for common man. It was said that black money will be unearthed. Where has that happened? “Only the `black money’ that housewives hid away from their husbands came out,” minister of state and Sena leader Gulabrao Patil said in a sarcastic tone, speaking at Jalgaon.
“Farmers, labourers and common people were affected by demonetization. Only these people were seen in the queues in front of banks,” Patil said. “Farmers would have benefited had those with black money been allowed to deposit it in their (farmers’) bank accounts,” Patil said. Shiv Sena, though a ruling alliance partner, has been consistently attacking the Narendra Modi government over demonetization.
Source: dnaindia.com