Uddhav Thackeray mounts attack on Centre, Mahayuti govt. over NEET, Ram Temple leakage

Uddhav Thackeray criticizes Mahayuti government, demands farm loan waivers, and slams NEET irregularities in press conference.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday, June 27, 2024, criticised the Mahayuti government, calling it a “Mahagalti sarkar ” and a “leakage sarkar ”, referring to alleged irregularities in NEET and water seepage at Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

Addressing a press conference, he termed the monsoon session of the State legislature, the final session before Maharashtra goes to polls later this year, which began on Thursday, the “send-off” session for the government led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The former Chief Minister also demanded a complete waiver of farm loans before the Assembly election.

“The Centre and the State are ‘leakage sarkar ’, not ‘double-engine sarkar ’ because exam papers (NEET) were leaked and also because there is leakage in the Ram Temple’s sanctum sanctorum. They have no shame. They can’t build a temple properly and run the administration. Why should we vote for them?” he said.

Earlier, Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) legislators, including those from the Sena (UBT), the Congress, and the NCP (SP), had protested against the government over the NEET exam and demanded loan waivers for farmers on the premises of the Assembly. As Mr. Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis passed by, they raised slogans such as “commission sarkar down down”.

Stating that 6,250 farmers died by suicide in the State in the last two years, with 1,046 such deaths since January this year alone, the Sena (UBT) leader demanded a complete waiver of farm loans. “This government is against farmers, youth, and daily wagers. There should be a complete waiver of farm loans and this should be implemented before the State election. Moreover, this government had announced an assistance of ₹10,020 crore for the farmers which is yet to be released,” Mr. Thackeray said, accusing the Central government of insensitivity over water issues in the country.

He predicted a “rain of assurances” in the budget to be presented by Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday and called for a White Paper on promises fulfilled over the past two years.

On reports that the State will launch a scheme for women on the lines of Madhya Pradesh’s Ladli Behna Scheme, Mr. Thackeray suggested a similar initiative for men, citing rising unemployment.