Nagpur, Jan 18 (IANS): The Maharashtra Congress on Saturday slammed the BJP-led MahaYuti government over the 'collapse in law and order', wondering 'how can a common person be safe when celebrities and village sarpanch are being attacked'.
State unit chief Nana Patole said: "There is no need to reiterate that Maharashtra has descended into a state of lawlessness. It is unfortunate that Maharashtra is being discussed as a 'lawless state' in Delhi today. The BJP government has tarnished the state's reputation and should stop creating fear to cling to power.
"Law and order completely collapsed, with celebrities unsafe in Mumbai and sarpanches unsafe in villages. What about the safety of ordinary people in such a scenario?"
Patole told reporters that the situation in the state has spiralled out of control, and criminals no longer fear the police.
"Criminals have developed a mindset that no one can harm them. While the Home Minister is primarily responsible for law and order, what else can one expect when 65 per cent of the Cabinet ministers are tainted? However, this situation must change," he said.
Referring to the attack on actor Saif Ali Khan, Patole urged people not to view it through the prism of caste or religion.
"In the Maharashtra of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, there is no room for caste or religious bias. People from all communities should feel safe in this state," he asserted.
Patole also highlighted the murder of Massajog sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh and the death of Somnath Suryavanshi from Parbhani due to police brutality.
Linking such incidents to caste or religion would be wrong, he said.
"The Maratha-OBC conflict was orchestrated by the BJP alliance government, sidelining the core issues faced by the people. Farmers are not getting fair prices for their produce, suicides are increasing, debt burdens are growing, youth are grappling with unemployment, and inflation is skyrocketing. These are the real issues. Everyone must raise their voice against the government instead of falling into caste or religious disputes," he urged.
Referring to the 'Ladki Bahin' scheme, Patole accused the BJP-led alliance government of hypocrisy.
"The scheme was used to win votes in the assembly elections by extending its benefits to all sisters. Now, after coming to power with their votes, the BJP alliance is finding flaws in the scheme's transparency. Why didn’t these flaws and transparency issues come up while seeking votes?
"Why is there a need for verification after forming the government? Ministers are now threatening to recover funds from bogus beneficiaries, exposing the true face of the BJP alliance. However, as per their announcement, every sister must be given Rs 2,100 without exceptions," Patole demanded.
On the Chief Minister's trip to Davos, Patole said: "Even Shinde took industrialists from the state on a similar tour earlier. Devendra Fadnavis should not imitate him. The BJP government claims Maharashtra is number one in the industrial sector, but the reality is different. The state is on decline. Do not squander public funds under the pretense of seeking investments in Davos."