MVA using Covid-19 situation for their benefit: Raj Thackeray

Launching a frontal attack on the Shiv Senaled Maharashtra government for not easing restrictions to allow people to celebrate Dahi Handi and other upcoming festivals MNS chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday alleged the three ruling parties are using the Covid19 situation to their benefitTaking a dig he said the state government is giving the impression that everybody loves a good lockdown Speaking to reporters the MNS chief also accused the government of selectively relaxing the Covid19 rules for some people and referred to Jan Ashirwad Yatras of BJP and performing a ritual in a temple by the son of a Shiv Sena MLAThe actions of the Maharashtra government can be summed up in the words of veteran journalist P Sainath who wrote a book Everybody Loves a Good Drought The current actions of the state government are like everybody loves a good lockdown the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president said after several workers of the MNS defied the ban to celebrate the Dahi Handi festival in Mumbai suburbs and the metropolitan region earlier in the dayA popular event organised during Gokulashtami Dahi Handi programmes draw large crowds BJP ministers can organise Jan Ashirwad Yatras Sena MLA Bhaskar Jadhavs son can perform pooja in a temple in Ratnagiri These incidents mean the state government is conveniently relaxing Covid19 norms There are different sets of rules for different peopleiquest he alleged MNS workers celebrated the traditional Dahi Handi festival in Thane and the neighbouring Palghar district even though the celebrations have been banned in the wake of the Covid19 pandemicA case was registered against four activists of the MNS and eight others for violating Covid19 norms by holding a iquestDahi Handiiquest programme in the Worli area of central Mumbai on Tuesday and two workers were arrested police said adding a search is on to nab the others The way MNS workers were arrested for participating in Dahi Handi festival it seems like a revenge politics by the government No action was taken against any leader of the Maha Vikas Aghadi for participating in public functions where no guidelines regarding the COVIDappropriate behaviour was followed he allegedThe Sena NCP and Congress are partners in the MVA led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray the estranged cousin of Raj Thackeray Had the Shiv Sena been in opposition I dont think it would have acted like this The three parties are using the Covid19 situation for their benefit People have the right to celebrate their festivals he saidRaj Thackeray also alleged the government is deliberately creating the bogey of the first second and now the third wave of the Covid19 pandemic Despite such fear of transmission of coronavirus old rivals Shiv Sena and Narayan Rane continued their fights Does this mean that only festivals spread coronavirus and not political parties he questioned Queried about complaints filed by the police against MNS workers for celebrating the Dahi Handi festival he said these cases are like hairs on the body of a bear Who is going to count themAlso Read Ashirvad rallies being held despite third wave threat putting peoplersquos life in danger Uddhav ThackerayHe demanded temples in Maharashtra be reopened without delay If the state government wants to implement any strict Covid19 protocol it should be common for all political parties and organisations I will hold a meeting with party workers in a couple of days to come up with a strategy to press our demand for the opening of temples he added Notably the opposition BJP on Monday staged demonstrations demanding the reopening of temples and other religious places in Maharashtra which remain shut due to Covid19 normsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever