MUMBAI: Opposition MVA criticised Maharashtra govt over violence in Nagpur, with Uddhav Thackeray targeting CM and home minister Devendra Fadnavis even as MPCC chief Harshawardhan Sapkal rejected the demand of Mahayuti netas for an apology for his statement comparing Fadnavis to Aurangzeb.
Uddhav asked, “Fadnavis’s house is in Nagpur. The RSS headquarters is also there… Then what have you done for so many years? If the riots were pre-planned, was your home department sleeping? If home department had heard that this conspiracy was being cooked, did they ignore it? Many questions arise from this.”
Sapkal said, “My words were twisted. I compared Fadnavis administration with Aurangzeb. We call Aurangzeb cruel as he ruled through betrayal and division. Under Fadnavis, divisive forces have become more active. Maharashtra is witnessing a sudden spurt in incidents of suicides and criminal assault against women,” he said.
Uddhav said people like Rahul Solapurkar, Prashant Koratkar and ex-governor B S Koshyari had insulted Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. “But BJP is sparing them & inciting riots in Aurangzeb’s name. BJP MP Pradeep Purohit made a statement in Parliament that PM Modi was Shivaji Maharaj in his previous life… If even one person who insults Shivaji Maharaj is thrashed in public, such incidents will not happen in future,” he said.
MPCC spokesperson Atul Londhe said statements made by deputy CM Eknath Shinde, such as asking whether Sapkal’s “tongue should be cut, are inflammatory and encourage attacks on him”.