On a day the BJP announced it will support Shiv Sena’s Mumbai candidate for legislative council polls, the Shiv Sena continued to breathe fire over the issue of Maharashtra Advocate General Sreehari Aney comments supporting statehood for Vidarbha. The saffron party termed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ support for Aney as “rakt dosh” (fault in blood)
“Chief Minister and BJP’s other ministers have firmly stood behind Shreehari Aney. There is little reason to be surprised by this. This is because of fault in their blood. What else can you expect from those don’t have the blood of a United Maharashtra flowing through their veins?” an editorial in Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana
Questioning Mr Fadnavis’ stand that statehood for Vidarbha was Aney’s personal opinion, not as the state advocate general, the editorial asked, “If a minister in Fadnavis cabinet errs, it reflects upon the entire State and the government. How can Fadnavis say what Aney said was his personal opinion?”
The editorial said the Shiv Sena will not change its stand on the Vidarbha issue. “United Maharashtra exists today because of the sacrifice of 105 martyrs (in the Samyukta Maharashtra a agitation). The posts of CM and Assembly speaker exist because there is a United Maharashtra,” it said.
The editorial said political parties cannot not brush under the carpet utterances advocating plebiscite in Kashmir. “People like Aney should remember that those like Prashant Bhushan who spoke of plebiscite in Kashmir were beaten up in their office,” the editorial said. Assembly speaker, Haribhau Bagde had recently rejected the Shiv Sena’s notice on privilege motion against Aney after Sena demanded he resign from his post.
