Shiv Sena (UBT) hits out at Devendra Fadnavis, calls him ‘failed’ home minister

MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Thursday called Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis a ”failed” home minister while claiming the law and order situation in the state was bad and farmers were committing suicide.

An editorial in the Sena (UBT) mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not even giving a warning to China after it changed the names of 11 places in Arunachal Pradesh. Pakistan is being issued hollow threats, but what about China which has made ”incursion” in the Indian territory, it said.

Earlier this week, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray dubbed Fadnavis a “worthless” home minister after a woman worker from the Thackeray-led faction was allegedly attacked by activists of rival Shiv Sena in Thane.

Fadnavis had then hit back saying he was a ”bullet” (kartoos), while Thackeray was a “weak” chief minister who had sacrificed his ideology for the sake of power and need not be given importance.

Notably, the Supreme Court recently made strong comments during the hearing of a contempt petition seeking action against several state authorities, including Maharashtra, for allegedly failing to register first information reports (FIRs) against those who make hate speech.

“We are hearing the contempt petition because states are not taking action in time. This is because the state has become impotent, powerless, and does not act in time. Why should we have a state at all if it is silent,” the SC had said and posted the matter for hearing on April 28 while seeking response from Maharashtra on the plea.

Referring to the SC’s remarks, the Saamana said, “What should one be addressed as if not worthless for making Maharashtra impotent.” Farmers are committing suicide, but the government is not worried. The law and order in the state is in tatters, it claimed. “You decide yourself if you are worthless, but you are a failed home minister. Governing does not mean extracting revenge,” the Marathi publication said.

The editorial further said, “You are no one without the help of central agencies which give you the ammo.” It also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of “snatching” the bow and arrow symbol from the Thackeray-led Sena faction. The Election Commission earlier this year allocated the bow and arrow symbol and the parent party to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.