NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik accused Mahajan of indulging in disaster toursim.WATER RESOURCES Minister Girish Mahajan has come under fire from Opposition parties after two of his selfie videos in flood-hit Kolhapur went viral.
In one of the clips, the minister, while travelling by a boat in Kolhapur on Thursday, is seen smiling and cheerfully waving into a video being shot by an unidentified person accompanying him. In another clip, he is seen inspecting the flood situation standing on a road, as the person filmed the selfie video.
With the clips going viral, a video of Mahajan trying to rescue people from the flood water in Sangli district has been uploaded on the social media.
NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik accused Mahajan of indulging in disaster toursim. “The minister’s behaviour is highly condemnable… The Fadnavis government has not launched disaster management but was into disaster tourism as is visible from his boat rides and selfies videos.”
It also asked Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to seek resignation of the “insensitive” minister. NCP leader Dhananjay Munde tweeted: “Minister @girishdmahajan and officials were smiled, posed selfie. Are the rulers left with any sensitivity? @Dev_Fadnavis ji take resignation of this insensitive minister, suspend the officials concerned.”
Farmer leader Raju Shetti said, “Mahajan’s insensitivity reflects the attitude of the Fadnavis government. Be it on the issue of farmers or flood, they have shown their real face of being highly insensitive and unconcerned.”
Taking on the BJP, Congress said it should start a “selfiewithdead” series while declaring the minister as its brand ambassador. State party spokesperson Sachin Sawant tweeted, “Girish Mahajan is the face that reflects the character, ideology and identity of this government. One which seeks pleasure in defecting MLAs, shows gun to children, dances in frenzy, fights and laughs wickedly on the tears of others! Now start #sefiewithdead series and declare Mahajan as the Ambassador.”
Mahajan, who has reached Sangli, meanwhile, asked the Opposition to participate in relief work instead of criticising and trolling him while sitting at home. “Reached today in villages which did not receive relief over the past four days. I request those opposition leaders who politicise relief work, that once they are done with entertainment by criticising-trolling, they should directly partake in the relief work!” he tweeted.
BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari blamed the row on the media. “This is a definite ploy by a certain section of the media to indulge in this kind of sensationalism… Girish Mahajan has been pitching in his best efforts to rescue the flood-hit people… He is an efficient and a responsible minister, he is fully aware of his actions.” (WITH PTI inputs)
