Maharashtra assembly session: Opposition is spreading false narratives, claim Shinde and deputy CMs

CM Eknath Shinde, DCMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar and other leaders at tea party ahead of monsoon session. Pic/Ashish Raje

Responding to the Opposition's charges, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar said that setting fake narratives won't help the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in the monsoon session and in the forthcoming state elections.

Shinde said the people will decide about bidding farewell. "People don't support those staying inside their homes. They support us who go out there on the ground to help. Our work and people-friendly decisions in the last two years will see us through," said the CM while addressing a press conference on Wednesday evening. The Opposition had boycotted the CM's tea party on the eve of the legislative session. It sent Shinde a letter citing reasons for the boycott and allegations.

Fadnavis said the MVA had no moral right to question the NDA government over things that were stalled during Uddhav Thackeray's regime. "You got some votes [in the Lok Sabha polls] because of a false narrative. Now you have decided to tell only lies. In fact, you need to look into the mirror and think twice before pointing a finger at us," he said, adding that the projects mentioned by the Opposition were stalled by the MVA because they were started by the BJP-Sena government of 2014-19. He accused the MVA of stalling irrigation projects in Vidarbha and statutory boards and claimed the NDA had revived them. The Marathwada water grid (started by him as the CM) was stalled by the MVA but is now revived with the Centre's assistance.

Fadnavis said the maximum instances of paper leaks (in academic and recruitment exams) were reported when Thackeray was the CM. "We will submit our [paper leak] report card during the session. Also, the accusation that investors are running away from Maharashtra is a false narrative, because in our regime the state has yet again become the number one investment destination," he said, adding that allegations about drug trafficking were completely false. "In fact, it is because of our drive against drugs that huge quantities have been seized. Remember who was arrested in R100-crore bribe accusations? The high court had asked for filing an FIR against their home minister. Who was responsible for the body bag and khichdi scam?" asked Fadnavis, who heads the home department.

Shinde said the government welcomed debate in the House. "But it seems they don't wish to [debate]. They seem to have inflated chests. But I ask them whose failure are they talking about. Where are the people who talked about defeating Modi-ji? How many seats did Congress get (in Lok Sabha)?" the CM asked. Talking about the Opposition's theme of ‘swabhimaan' (pride), Shinde said in a barb to Thackeray that those bragging about it had mortgaged their pride for power in 2019.