MUMBAI, 4 November 2006 — As the Congress-NCP led Democratic Front government in Maharashtra completes its two-year tenure on Thursday, the state president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lashed out at the claims made by Congress Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh that the state government had made great achievements.
BJP President Nitin Gadkari revealed that the Congress and its partner in the DF government — the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders — had smeared their faces with dirt and not even refrained from swindling tons of cow dung, generated from millions of cattle sheltered in 400 relief camps across the state for nine months during the drought last summer.
“The DF government is involved in a series of scams, so much so that they didn’t even spare the cow dung generated out of cattle camps and spurring yet another scam that involves six hundred million Indian rupees,” said the BJP state president.
Taking potshots at the chief minister’s claim, Gadkari termed the two-year term of the Congress led DF government as marked by inefficiency, insensitivity and lies. “The state has slid down from the number one position in terms of industrialization and growth to sixth position in the country now,” said Gadkari.
Stating that power was a crucial factor for the rapid industrial growth, the BJP leader asked what had happened to the Letters of Intent that were assigned with private producers involving the investment of thirty thousand million Indian rupees. How will any investor put money into a state that has 16 hours of power cuts on a daily basis, Gadkari asked.
In another development, more than three million people will run in a marathon to celebrate the spirit of Maharashtra. Participants from 262 cities and towns across the state will participate in the marathon entitled “The Run against Terror.”
The marathon will spread across Bombay, Pune, Aurangabad, Nagpur, Nashik and the Konkan region. The event is being sponsored by the Maharashtra Olympic Association (MOA) and will take place on Dec. 17. Funds raised from the marathon will be utilized for fighting terror.
Speaking about the marathon, the president of the Marathon Organizing Committee, Satish Pradhan said, “Maharashtra has been bombarded with calamities one after the other. The government has done its part and now it’s our chance to show our gratitude.”
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister RR Patil said, “I was pleased to see people from different communities helping each other during the blasts. We should appreciate such selfless acts by taking part in the marathon. It is a unique way of bringing together people from diverse parts of the state.”
