Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday came down heavily on the Maharashtra government over its handling of the flood situation in the state, while also sparking a political storm with his remarks on the recent India-Pakistan Asia Cup clash.
Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Thackeray demanded that affected farmers be provided financial aid of ₹50,000 per hectare. He criticised the state for failing to offer adequate relief, alleging that sugar mill owners benefited from profitable insurance policies while farmers continued to bear additional costs without proper compensation.
Dig at India-Pakistan match
In a pointed remark, Thackeray said that those who watched the India-Pakistan match in the Asia Cup were “deshdrohis (traitors).” He stressed that he chose not to watch the game out of patriotism, adding that real nationalism comes from staying alert to the nation’s pressing issues. His statement triggered controversy, especially since opposition parties had earlier staged protests demanding cancellation of the match.
Attack on Fadnavis govt
Thackeray accused the administration led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis of neglecting the crisis, saying they were more occupied with political manoeuvring than offering timely relief. He reminded Fadnavis of his own past appeals for relief packages when in opposition and called for the same empathy to be shown now.
He also flagged the absence of any central team to assess damage in flood-hit areas, urging the government to release immediate aid and stop politicising terms like drought and disaster criteria.
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