Uddhav Sena Looted People, Didn’t Spare Even Covid Victims: Eknath Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday said the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena ruled the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) “for decades” and has now planned a protest march against corruption in the same civic body.

The Shiv Sena (led by Thackeray) crossed “all limits of corruption” when it controlled the BMC, he said at a press conference here.

Mr Shinde, then a senior Sena leader and cabinet minister, took oath as chief minister exactly one year ago after rebelling against Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) looted the citizens of Mumbai for more than two decades and deprived them of basic amenities, he said, adding that it did not spare even Covid-19 victims.

“Now these same people are planning a morcha (protest march) on the civic body tomorrow. This is ‘ulta chor kotwal ko dante’ (thief censuring policeman),” the chief minister said.

Body bags for those who died due to Covid-19 were purchased for ₹ 5,000 in Mumbai whereas in Thane they were procured for about ₹ 300 apiece, he claimed.

“People of the state wanted a BJP-Shiv Sena government in November 2019 (after the Assembly elections results) and our 50 MLAs took a decision for the state last year and the Devendra Fadnavis- led BJP supported us. People of the state are happy with us,” Mr Shinde said.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government had shelved several infrastructure and development projects and after coming to power his government restarted them and was working at “double speed” for the development of the state, he said.

“When the state government and Centre are like-minded, development takes place at a double speed. The Marathwada water grid project will also get the Centre’s approval soon,” the chief minister said.

The BMC, the country’s richest municipal corporation, is currently under an administrator’s rule as civic elections have been due for a long time.