Congress, NCP slam Raj Thackeray for dubbing "court-tour" as drought visit

Mumbai, April 22: MNS president Raj Thackeray's ten- day tour of the drought-hit Marathwada region of Maharashtra which coincides with his court appearances at a few places in the region has drawn flak from NCP and Congress which said it was really a "court-tour".

Thackeray started his tour from Wednesday. He had announced plan to visit Beed, Latur, Osmanabad, Nanded and Aurangabad by April 29. On Wednesday, he attended hearings at Paranda and Osmanabad courts where he is facing cases related to violence during his party's agitation in 2008.

Nilanga court in Latur district granted him bail on a personal bond of Rs 15,000 and imposed a fine of Rs 200 for not appearing earlier. Congress spokesperson Al-Nasser Zakaria said by terming this "court tour" a drought tour, Raj had mocked the farmers.

"Raj Thackeray was actually on a court tour and not a drought tour as he claimed. He should understand that by mocking farmers who are struggling for existence, he will do no good to his electoral prospects," Zakaria said. It was "inhuman" for a politician to "play with the sentiments of people," the Congress leader added.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik too lashed out at him. "Does Raj Thackeray understand what drought is in the first place? Does he know what crops are cultivated in Marathwada and what kind of problems people are facing there? It is easy to just announce drought trips," he said.

Thackeray had last visited Marathwada in 2014. Yesterday, he reviewed the work undertaken by MNS workers to desilt and increase the depth of wells at Naldurga in Latur district. MNS has provided water tanks for drinking water and is constructing cement dams in Latur district.

PTI