Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday alleged that the Maharashtra government has been “continuously lying” about the Vedanta-Foxconn deal, NDTV reported.
A political controversy has erupted in Maharashtra after the Indian mining conglomerate and Foxconn, a Taiwanese manufacturing company, shifted their plans to set up their semiconductor unit in Gujarat.
The two companies had earlier held talks with the Maharashtra government and the 1.54 lakh crore deal was reportedly “almost done”.
The Opposition in Maharashtra has alleged that the project was handed over by the new Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government to Gujarat under pressure from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in view of upcoming Assembly polls in his home state.
“Mumbai is the financial capital of the country and you are trying to take out these industries and taking it to your state,” Thackeray said. “Now Vedanta has gone, they [state government] have been continuously lying. You should be ashamed.”
He also said that Shinde dances to the tune of the central government and is silent on the Vedanta-Foxconn deal, according to NDTV.
Thackeray made the remarks while addressing a gathering of Shiv Sena workers in Mumbai’s Goregaon. This was his first public address since he was ousted from power after Shinde and 30 other Shiv Sena MLAs had offered their support to the Bharatiya Janata Party.
A legal battle is underway between the two factions to be recognised as the real Shiv Sena.
In Wednesday’s address, Thackeray addressed the rebellion within Shiv Sena, saying he would rather have a few honest people than “a huge number of traitors”.
“Even now if someone wants to leave the party, they should leave and go right now,” he said.
Thackeray further criticised Union Home Minister Amit Shah, saying that his tactic of “divide and rule” would no longer work in Maharashtra.
“None of your tactics will work now. You try and divide Hindu and Muslims, Marathi and non-Marathi,” he said, according to The Indian Express. “ But not only Hindus but Muslims and non-Marathis from all communities are also with the Shiv Sena and would be with the party.”
He also urged his party workers to fight the forthcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation as if it was the first election of their lives.
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