Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray vowed to intensify the party’s ongoing protests against toll charges with him personally leading them by blocking roads across the state starting February 12.
Breaking his silence first time after police booked him for inciting the violence against the toll plazas, Thackeray at a well-attended rally in Pune on Sunday said, On February 12, I will personally lead the party’s agitation to block roads in the state. Let them arrest and stop me if they have the guts.
In a 35-minutes speech, Thackeray launched an all out attack against the state government for the toll. The toll issue has become a critical one in the state with every party raking it up ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
The MNS chief mocked chief minister Prithviraj Chavan by calling him, “Manmohan Singh without a turban,” for his inability to solve the issue. “I met the chief minister four times, apprising him about the toll issue. He accepted that there were discrepancies in the toll collection but expressed inability saying his hands were tied because of the alliance government,” Thackeray said. He addat that not paying toll was the only option left to his party.
He criticised public works minister and senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal in his trademark mimicry. “Bhujbal says even the central government charges toll. But center follows rules while charging toll, which is not happening in the state.
The MNS chief also criticised the state government for “lax approach” in dealing with security matters. Thackeray said, anyone with the evil intention can cause damage using the red becons, which are easily available in the open market.
Bureau Report
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