Mumbai, June 1: Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray today hit back at Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar over his comments that he had done ‘precious little' for the common man in the state.
In an editorial in today's issue of party mouthpiece, Saamana, Thackeray said ‘he did not want to stoop low to give any explanation to Ajit Pawar whose political rise in the state is due to his uncle Sharad Pawar'.
“What can I say about my work in providing employment to Marathi youth. I did not start sugar factories and banks like Congress-NCP leaders (did) and loot farmers for selfish interests,” Thackeray said with a scorn that only Ajit Pawar can do social work of allowing construction of hill city, Lavasa, for the rich on adivasi land in Pune district.
Lashing Pawar over renaming Dadar railway station as Chaityabhoomi, Thackeray wondered why NCP suddenly developed soft corner for dalits after RPI leader Ramdas Athawale crossed over to the Shiv Sena-BJP combine.
“If you were so concerned about Ambedkar why did you not name the Bandra-Worli sea link in Mumbai after the dalit icon,” he said asking Pawar whether he was ready to name Baramati district after Ambedkar, father of Indian Constitution.
Thackeray's response came a day after Ajit Pawar criticised him at a rally in Ahmednagar over his contribution in development of Maharashtra and uplifting of the common people. PTI
