Raut slams Fadnavis over Gokul milk union directors, says poll verdict was trampled

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has criticised Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over the Gokul milk union. Raut said illegal directors would not have been appointed had Fadnavis not taken an interest.

According to Raut, all this is being done to bring back defeated people such as Hasan Mushrif and Mahadik. He said the president should be chosen from the side with the majority, and that Satej Patil's panel had won. Raut said the returning officer put two seats won by Satej Patil's panel into Hasan Mushrif's panel, or else it would have got 15 seats. He said the verdict of democracy had been trampled underfoot.

Raut said it was Diwali today and that Chief Minister Fadnavis had announced that ministers should celebrate Diwali at farmers' homes. He accepted that the idea of Diwali at a farmer's home was good, but said the Chief Minister should consider whether Diwali can really be celebrated on Rs 5,000. Raut said this was an attempt to be seen with farmers and that celebrating a festival for one day would not end the questions. The Chief Minister said they would have to go repeatedly.

Raut said the Prime Minister celebrates Diwali with soldiers, yet Chinese incursions do not stop and Pulwama does not stop. He asked what comes after a one-day programme, what is new and what is especially praiseworthy. In his view, this is the ministers' duty. He asked whether the faral served would have been made at home by the farmer or sent in through the back door by the collector.

On the merger of the NCP, Raut said whether it happens is the next question. According to him, the real Sharad Pawar's NCP will not go with the bigoted and anti-national NDA under any circumstances.

Raut said Lal Krishna Advani is silent and that he was harassed and subjected to mental torture for 12 years. He said Balasaheb Thackeray and Advani took the BJP to the pinnacle of power, and that the BJP reached the seat of power in Delhi riding Advani's rath. Raut alleged that the BJP, meaning Modi, Shah and Fadnavis, sent that same Advani into exile for twelve years.