“The Marathwada region is reeling under drought. Do not kill the drought-affected people by making them queue up for aid. They want home delivery of aid, and not of liquor,” said Thackeray. (File)

Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Monday slammed the BJP-led state government saying the comment made by a minister regarding providing home delivery of liquor was a “ridiculous and shocking plan” that is against the state’s culture.

“The Marathwada region is reeling under drought. Do not kill the drought-affected people by making them queue up for aid. They want home delivery of aid, and not of liquor,” said Thackeray.

Maharashtra’s Excise Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule had made a statement regarding the government considering permitting online sale and home delivery of liquor in the state.

Following criticism by the opposition parties, Bawankule clarified that there was only a proposal and no decision was taken.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also clarified that state government has no plan to pass such a proposal.

“The online sale of liquor does not suit out culture. But there are several attempts everyday to embarrass the state,” Thackeray added.

Meanwhile, in an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana, the Shiv Sena also slammed Fadnavis over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state, referring to the recent attack on Sena legislator Tukaram Kate and a murder at the Dadar flower market.

He said such incidents have risen in the past two months, but the government has taken no note of them.

“Kate was attacked for raising his voice against the Metro,” said the editorial. “What can we expect from a party that has been expanding its base by including goons and criminals? It is bound to happen, for goons have been made elected representatives and those helping the party’s expansion financially are being given big posts in police, revenue and the public works department.

This is the beginning of the deterioration of Chhatrapati Shivaji’s Maharashtra,” said the editorial, adding that police have been given the status of party activists and party activists have been made protectors of law and order.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra unit of the Aam Aadmi Party has also strongly opposed the state government’s proposal to permit home-delivery of liquor.

“The BJP has yet again demonstrated that its slogan of following the footsteps of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj – the founder of Swarajya and codified modern indigenous model of a welfare state and rule of law – rings hollow and is a mere lip-service and sheer pre-election opportunism,” said AAP in a statement.