War of words between MVA govt, BJP over 'Tuglaqi-decisions' and 'undeclared Emergency'

'We do not agree with whatever Kangana Ranaut and Arnab Goswami say, but is this the way you target those who speak against you,' said Fadnavis

A war of words broke out between the Maha Vikas Aghadi government and the BJP on Sunday targeting each other over what they described as “Tuglaqi-decisions” and “undeclared Emergency”.

The verbal spat commenced on the eve of the two-day winter session of the Maharashtra legislature, which the saffron Opposition claimed has been curtailed to avoid debate on crucial issues including the Covid-19 pandemic situation in the state.

The saffron party boycotted the customary tea meeting hosted by the government berore the session, saying that the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress dispensation has failed on all fronts and are scrapping the decisions of the previous BJP-led government.

Spearheading the charge, Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP said that the the MVA government is repeatedly taking what he described as “Tuglaqui-decisions” and muzzling the voice of dissent.

“We do not agree with whatever Kangana Ranaut and Arnab Goswami say, but is this the way you target those who speak against you… anyone who is speaking against the government is being targeted….there seems to be undeclared Emergency,” said Fadnavis, a former Chief Minister.

According to him, his counterpart in Council Pravin Darekar is also being targeted in wake of Mumbai District Central Cooperative Bank Limited.

However, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray immediately shot back, asking: “Who among the Cabinet colleagues have said anything against him (Darekar)…or is it so that Fadnavis is suggesting something.”

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said that the Opposition leaders including Fadnavis, Darekar and state BJP President Chandrakant Patil are looking demoralized.

Thackeray rejected the charge of “undeclared Emergency”, and went on to add: “Is what is happening in New Delhi is declared Emergency…farmers are protesting for over a fortnight now….you call them Khalistani…Pakistani…and you import onions from Pakistan….you call them terrorists, naxalites….they are ‘annadata’…what is this?…if you make such comments, you don’t have the right to call yourself human.”

According to him, not allowing discissions is “Tuglaqui”. "The farmers should be brought to the negotiating table and the issue should be resolved," he said.

“They (BJP over the last one year has been predicting when the (MVA) government will fall…they have not seen what work we have done,” he said.