After BJP accuses Mamata of trying to ‘rob’ Maharashtra of its industries, Shiv Sena points fingers at Gujarat CM’s Mumbai visit

‘How is the Gujarat CM holding a roadshow for ‘Vibrant Gujarat’ in Mumbai?’ questions Sanjay Raut

@the_news_21

Pune: Shiv Sena MP and chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut on Thursday lambasted the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for accusing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of ‘diverting’ business from Maharashtra to her state. Speaking to newspersons here he questioned as to why the Maharashtra BJP was silent on Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel’s visit to Mumbai.

The Gujarat Chief Minister was in Mumbai to hold a roadshow in context of the upcoming Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit (VGGS) to be held from January 10-12 next year in Gandhinagar. Patel, along with a high-level delegation, met with business leaders and industry executives in Mumbai’s Taj Mahal Palace Hotel.

Raut sarcastically remarked, “The Gujarat Chief Minister has brought half of his cabinet to Mumbai for the Vibrant Gujarat summit. Why is the Maharashtra BJP silent now?” Raut. He further quipped that Gujarat was becoming ‘self-reliant’ by feeding on Mumbai.

The Sena MP said the BJP was absurdly accusing Mamata Banerjee of trying to steal away jobs and industries from Maharashtra after the latter met with industrialists in Mumbai on Wednesday.

“Mamata Banerjee’s meeting with Mumbai’s industrialists has raised the BJP’s hackles for no reason. They accused her of trying to rob the State of its industries by taking them to West Bengal… Today, the Gujarat CM is meeting Mumbai’s industrialists with half of his cabinet and organizing a roadshow here. But the Maharashtra BJP leadership is conspicuously silent about this,” said the Sena MP.

He demanded to know whether the Gujarat CM intended to showcase ‘Vibrant Gujarat’ by taking away Mumbai’s industry. Raut accused the state BJP leadership of being responsible for the loss of the International Finance Centre (IFC) which he claimed was ‘hijacked’ from Mumbai to Gujarat by the BJP-ruled Centre.

“At that time, why did the state BJP silently watch Mumbai lose its dream of having the International Finance Centre? Now, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is betting to pull the Bollywood film industry from Mumbai to Uttar Pradesh. What does the Maharashtra BJP’s leadership have to say about this? I think before ludicrously accusing Mamata Banerjee, the BJP ought to take a look at their poor record in losing industries to Gujarat,” said the Sena leader.

Earlier, BJP leader Ashish Shelar had demanded that the MVA government should announce the official details of the meeting between Mamata Banerjee and Sena Minister Aaditya Thackeray.

Shelar alleged further, “There seems to be some conspiracy over TMC chief West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Mumbai visit…Is the ruling Shiv Sena facilitating the migration of industries from Maharashtra to West Bengal?”

Accusing the Sena of “betraying Maharashtra’s interests”, the BJP leader further alleged that Mamata Banerjee and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray were joining forces to allegedly ‘destabilize’ both states.

“The Shiv Sena has proved to be a traitor to Maharashtra…while we have no objection to employment opportunities being generated across India or Mamata Banerjee being welcomed here, but how can the Sena, a ruling party, ‘help’ in taking away businesses and industries in Maharashtra and West Bengal. Why was Mamata Banerjee’s meeting with the Sena held in secret…this is the same person who was responsible for driving the Tatas out of her state (Tata Nano-Singur controversy)?” Shelar said.