New Delhi: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday came down heavily on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over a number a issues, from its free vaccine promise to GST, economy and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Free vaccine promise to people to Bihar
Thackeray lashed at the BJP for promising to distribute free Corona vaccines to the people of Bihar if its alliance is voted back to power in its poll manifesto.
“You are talking about giving free vaccines in Bihar. Is rest of the country Pakistan or Bangladesh? Those speaking like that should be ashamed of themselves. You are at the centre,” the Chief Minister said at Shiv Sena’s annual Dussehra rally in Mumbai.
Hindutva Jibe
Taking a swipe at the state Opposition BJP leaders and those wearing ‘black caps’, Thackeray advised them to listen carefully to RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s Dassehra Rally speech.
“Our ‘Hindutva’ is not limited to deities, temples or pujas or ringing bells or banging thaalis. Our ‘Hindutva’ itself is our Nationalism. You enacted a cow protection law in Maharashtra, why not in Goa,” he asked.
Training guns on Devendra Fadnavis
The Maharashtra Chief Minister said there would be anarchy in the country if the BJP remained interested only in toppling governments rather than improving the nation’s economy
“It has been a year now. From the day I became the CM, it was being said that the state government will be toppled. I challenge and say that if you have the courage, do it and show,” Uddhav Thackeray said.
Fresh Salvo Over GST
Upping the ante against the Centre, the Shiv Sena President said that if the system of GST has failed, then the Centre should honestly admit it and revert to the old system of taxation in the country.
Thackeray said that Maharashtra has not been refunded its Goods & Service Tax (GST) dues of Rs.38,000 crore which has created huge financial crises for the state in the Corona pandemic times.
“From all this, it appears that the GST system is proving a hoaxa It is time to review the present form of GST as the states are not beneitting. If it is not working, the Prime Minister should honestly admit it and bring back the old system of taxation,” Thackeray said.
Veiled attack on actor Kangana Ranaut
“Temples will be opened at the right time. I also have full faith in the Mumbai Police, they are among the best in the world. Anybody attempting to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra would be reduced to dust. Had you (BJP) had spared so much time for the people of the country as you do for your party activities, it would be better for all,” Thackeray declared.
The Covid-compliant mini-Dassehra rally was held in the Swatantraveer Savarkar auditorium – an unprecedented development since the inaugural rally in 1966 – and the first by Thackeray as the CM, with the presence of top Sena leaders, ministers and elected representatives, while it was telecast and webcast live to the audiences across the state.