Toll plaza issue: Uddhav says MNS's act is politically motivated

, Jan 29:

Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray has been slammed by his cousin and

chief Uddhav Thackeray for the recent

plaza issue. MNS workers, this week, had vandalised toll plaza offices in several parts of the state like Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Kalyan, Aurangabad, Nagpur and Nashik.

Uddhav, on Wednesday, questioned Raj's motive and alleged that the MNS chief incited his workers to ransack toll plazas for poll benifits.

Raj has been booked for instigating his party workers to vandalise toll plaza offices. In a speech, Raj said, "I am ordering my workers to ensure that no toll tax is charged at any booth in Maharashtra. If anyone asks for toll tax, then phod dijiye, pitiye (attack, thrash them), whatever be the consequences".

In the editorial of his party newspaper 'Saamna', the Shiv Sena chief hit out at Raj Thackarey for 'copying' Shiv Sena's style of functioning. Calling Raj a 'copy cat', Uddhav said that some parties which were sleeping on toll issue have suddenly woken up. MNS is indulging in such acts for political benefits, said Uddhav.

The toll issue is a favourite of both the right-wing parties. Recently, Shiv Sena had urged the Maharashtra government to make Mumbai toll free. In January first week, Shiv Sena workers had vandalised toll booths in Kolhapur.

With election looming, MNS has also taken up the issue. The party has accused contractors of overcharging citizens, without repairing potholed roads or providing amenities, and continuing to do so after recovering the construction cost. However, contractors say that toll tariff, location and time period have been decided by the Supreme Court.

Oneindia news

(With agency inputs)