Mumbai: Uddhav Thackeray slams BJP in Left rally for not granting Anganwadi workers their rights

The Shiv Sena has often been at loggerheads with its ally BJP in Maharashtra and attacked the latter over rising prices among other issues. Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday joined in a protest led by the Left parties demanding that Anganwadi workers be granted their due rights.   

After taking to the streets over spiralling prices last week, Uddhav lashed out at the BJP at a protest rally organised by the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), a leftist trade union in favour of Anganwadi workers. Nearly 2 lakh Anganwadi workers from about 1.1 lakh Anganwadis in the state have been on a strike since September 12, demanding that their salaries be increased.   

That Uddhav shared the platform with the leftist trade union did raise several eyebrows given his party's history of bitter differences with the Left. The Shiv Sena came into existence in Mumbai by fighting against the left trade unions in the city that had several textile mills and a strong presence of trade unions. In the initial years, Sena cadres and factions of the Left clashed against each other quite a few times.

The Shiv Sena today seemed to have let bygones be bygones while attacking the BJP at a protest organised by the Left. Uddhav attacked the BJP's 'development' agenda from the 'red' stage and went a step ahead to quote Rahul Gandhi's "Vikas has gone mad" line in his ongoing Gujarat tour.

Quoting Rahul Gandhi's 'vikas gando thayo che' - a line that has gone viral on social media, Uddhav questioned that whether a mad Vikas (crazy development) was needed in villages, state or the country?

ANGANWADI SISTERS NEGLECTED, SAYS UDDHAV 

"People are angry as they were shown dreams. PM has a dream of bullet train, CM has a dream of Samruddhi highway. Both of them are roaming around the world. Even today, the chief minister is abroad for Samruddhi highway. To see dreams, you have to sleep and today these anganwadi sisters are having sleepless nights while you are roaming abroad to fulfill your dreams. What kind of functioning is this?", Uddhav said.

Last week, the Shiv Sena had taken to the streets against rising prices. Only recently, the party had even asked Fadnavis government to give waive off farmer loans before Dussehra . Defending his anti-government stance, Uddhav said, "People wonder why we are taking to the streets despite being in government. Yes we are in the government, but our souls are still alive and we do not want to work feeling like dead souls."

Uddhav assured full support of his party to the protesting anganwadi workers and promised that his party would stand firmly with the workers, warning the government against using force. "If they impose anarchy in the name of democracy, we will break their batons raised on commoners. Muzzling of voices won't be tolerated", the Shiv Sena chief warned.

Meanwhile, the BJP tried to play down Shiv Sena's aggression. "By doing all this, the Shiv Sena is making a fool of itself," said Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil.

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