Uddhav blasts BJP, says party’s old poll ‘jumlas’ repackaged as ‘Modi ki Guarantee’

PTI, Mar 4, 2024, 8:09 PM IST

Source: PTI / File

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray on Monday came down heavily on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying the ruling outfit is selling its old false promises now as ‘Modi ki Guarantee’ to people ahead of general elections.

Addressing a well-attended gathering at Panvel in adjoining Navi Mumbai, Thackeray appealed to local voters to defeat the sitting Lok Sabha member from Maval Shrirang Barne, who has switched over to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, in the upcoming polls.

Panvel, a taluka in Raigad district, is part of the Maval Lok Sabha constituency, from where Barne won in 2019 as the candidate of the undivided Shiv Sena. After a split in the party, Barne joined the Shinde-led faction.

”BJP leaders in 2014 (Lok Sabha polls) made several false promises to people. Now, the same false promises or jumlas have been repackaged as ‘Modi ki Guarantee’ (steadfast commitment) and being offered to people ahead of general elections. The country has never seen a party full of leaders who are outright liars,” the former Maharashtra CM remarked, blasting his ally-turned-political foe.

He also dug up the issue of money collected under the PM CARES Fund during the coronavirus pandemic and claimed its utilisation remains unexplained.

”BJP leaders from Maharashtra donated to the PM CARES Fund, but surprisingly, its utilisation is completely unknown to us. These BJP leaders did not donate to the CM Relief Fund when I was the chief minister (November 2019-June 2022) and the COVID-19 pandemic was in full swing,” he said.

If someone from the opposition INDIA bloc becomes the prime minister after general elections, will he have access to the PM CARES Fund?, the Sena (UBT) leader asked.

Thackeray referred to the Prime Minister’s Office informing the Delhi High Court in January last year that the PM CARES Fund is not a ”State” under Article 12 of the Constitution and does not constitute a ”public authority” under the Right to Information Act, 2005.