Mumbai, Aug 24 (IANS) The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) launched a fierce broadside against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday, accusing the state administration of financial improprieties in youth outreach events and severe corruption in Maharashtra’s school midday meal scheme.
An editorial in the party’s mouthpiece, ‘Saamana’, targeted CM Fadnavis over the quality of food served to school children and questioned the financing behind the BJP’s political rallies aimed at young voters. It centred on the school nutrition programme in Ambegaon, Pune district, where children were reportedly served rock-hard dried peas that failed to cook even after 13 pressure cooker whistles. The editorial alleged that the supply contractor, identified as a Nagpur-based businessman, shares close ties with CM Fadnavis.
The Thackeray camp further claimed that the said businessman provided financial backing for the BJP’s recent Gen Z youth outreach event held at the Reshm bagh Ground in Nagpur. “Supply contractors eat up millions by serving substandard food to school children, risking their lives… Moving forward, his peas of falsehood will certainly not cook,” said the editorial.
The scathing editorial comes against the backdrop of intense political manoeuvring for the youth vote across Maharashtra. Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi recently hosted the “Chatron Ki Goonj” event in Pune, drawing thousands of students.
The Thackeray camp claimed that local authorities initially resisted granting police clearance for Gandhi’s event before issuing permission bound by 30 to 35 strict conditions. It further alleged that political agitators attempted to cause disruptions prior to the event, while police filed cases against Congress workers instead.
“What is certain is that Gandhi has outsmarted the entire BJP, leaving them utterly paralysed. The youth are not merely angry with the BJP; they are enraged. They have lost interest in the repetitive speeches of PM Modi, HM Shah, and Fadnavis. People are tired of the same old promises, the intoxicating dose of Hindu-Muslim tension, startup rhetoric, and fake patriotism. These leaders remain intoxicated with self-praise and self-obsession,” remarked the editorial.
In response to CM Fadnavis calling Rahul Gandhi’s interactive sessions “paid publicity events” subject to state investigation, the Thackeray camp demanded that the BJP first audit its own event expenditures and contractor funding sources.
However, the Thackeray camp claimed that Fadnavis does not address roads and pothole scams. Among the 12 people who lost their lives falling into potholes in Nashik, seven belonged to Gen Z. Furthermore, there is a massive scam in the procurement and supply of midday meals in state schools.
The editorial accused the administration of ignoring graduate unemployment, pushing educated youth towards low-tier jobs while ignoring systemic corruption in public contracts.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena concluded that public discontent among the youth is reaching a boiling point over repetitive political promises, calling on CM Fadnavis to engage in self-reflection before launching selective investigations.
–IANS
sj/dpb