Oppn accuses BJP of publicity ahead of polls; Fadnavis meanwhile wants compensation to be paid in cash partially
A day after state water resources minister Girish Mahajan's selfie video from flood-hit Kolhapur went viral, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party received flak after party legislator Suresh Halvankar from Ichalkaranji constituency in the flood-ravaged Kolhapur district printed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' photograph over the relief material. Opposition Congress and Nationalist Congress Party accused Fadnavis and the BJP of publicity ahead of ensuing assembly election slated for October.
NCP leader Dhananjay Munde attacked the government saying their priority is to print stickers. "Government delayed distribution of relief material by two days as it was busy in designing and printing stickers," Munde alleged.
The former CM and Congress leader Ashok Chavan criticised the BJP's alleged attempt to seek publicity instead of paying full attention to providing much-needed relief to the people. He said that the BJP should not attempt to gain political mileage and the government should focus on evacuation and rehabilitation.
Fadnavis, who visited flood-hit areas of Sangli, snubbed the party legislators and directed government employees not to print their names or photos on relief material. He said that the relief material will only have Maharashtra government sticker.
In its response, BJP attacked NCP and released few samples of relief material having photographs of former minister and state NCP president Jayant Patil. However, NCP rebutted those charges and alleged that it was photoshopped and put out by the BJP IT cell.
Politics As Usual
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| Opposition, BJP trade barbs over stickers of politicians on relief materials |
| Payment of compensation directly in bank accounts invites partisan criticism |
Meanwhile, the government also came under attack for its decision to transfer the compensation amount into the bank accounts of flood-affected people. Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee spokesman Sachin Sawant led a scathing attack against the government saying that it would be painful for people, who had lost everything including crucial documents in the deluge and need urgent help, have to do rounds of banks to get their compensation. He brought to the state government's notice that in the next eight days, banks will be closed for five days.
Fadnavis in his response announced that he has already issued necessary directives to the state chief secretary for payment of a partial compensation in cash. ''In the past, the Comptroller & Auditor General of India had objected to the cash payment. However, in view of the present ground level situation, I have directed to make payment of some compensation in cash to people affected due to flood,'' he said.
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