The Shiv Sena grabbed the limelight, this time not in Maharashtra, but in Delhi when one of its MPs, Rajan Vichare, tried to force-feed a Muslim staffer a chapati when he was actually observing the Ramadan fast roza.
This incident happened on July 17, when 11 other MPs of the Shiv Sena stood watching as the drama unfolded at Maharashtra Sadan.
The Sena MPs were displeased at the quality of food being served by IRCTC in New Delhi. The IRCTC in Maharashtra Sadan serves North Indian cuisine and not Maharashtrian food. So, the way they decided to take action is by force-feeding the caterer, who is not even the one making the food, just the one serving it.
However, what about all the promises the Shiv Sena made in its election manifesto? Should we not question whether all the services that the Shiv Sena promised in Maharashtra have been provided or not – the number of roads proposed, the quality of food in government hostels, hospitals and other places, the potholes and manholes, the sewage issue, the other unattended problems?
Let us list the issues that the Shiv Sena promised to tackle in its election manifesto:
1) Roads and Highways – We shall try to complete the widening of the Solapur-Yedashi and Solapur-Aurangabad-Dhule highways up to four lane. We shall insist the central government to increase the number of four lane highways in Maharashtra. All the constructions of the highways in Maharashtra are delayed and the faulty governance of the Centre is responsible for that. We shall try to change it according to the situation.
2) Special policy for prolonged railway development – MUTP-2 project for Mumbai is still delayed and we yet to receive the fund for the project from the central government. To get the special rate to the railway land in Mumbai, Shiv Sena, BJP and RPI sanctioned special carpet area index to these lands. Overall, the railway project in Mumbai, which is a lifeline to the residents here, is completely neglected and we shall go to complete these projects as soon as possible. Mumbai Railway Development Board needs more liberty and funds. We shall give policy and force the central railway department to work accordingly. People of Maharashtra are asking many railway lines since so long.
3) Food security and Public distribution – Besides grains rates of pulses, edible oils, sugar etc. will be stabilised for the next five years with which we are planning to free the people from ever rising inflation.
On the other hand, the SV Road stretch in Mumbai has around 180 potholes and the issue has been not addressed yet despite numerable requests to the Corporation. Should the displeased citizens now throw rocks and gravel as a mark of protest?
The Sena MP, Vichare, later clarified that the food quality and services at Maharashtra Sadan were not good and that was the sole reason why he indulged in that action. He added that he was unaware of the caterer's religion, although he had a badge with his name. The caterer, Arshad, was not even the one who cooked the food, but had been hurt by the act.
The cascading effect of this incident is that it has become communal and incited party chief Uddhav Thackeray who said this incident was an attempt to silence his party's voice. "We are proponents of Hindutva, but we don't have hatred for other religions," Uddhav told reporters in Aurangabad.
As a mark of protest, the IRCTC has withdrawn its catering facilities from the Sadan. On Wednesday, a two-member fact finding committee of group general managers was formed to investigate the incident. That is a saner way to investigate the issues in any service. If one wants accountability of food quality at the Centre, one also needs to insure that things back in the state are good enough.
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