Maharashtra deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis visited areas in the vicinity of Ambazari Lake in Nagpur, which breached its boundaries on September 23 due to heavy rains. (Image: PTI/File)
Maharashtra Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) shared a video of deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis visiting a rain-hit area and accused him of pushing away a resident, which they described as an “arrogance of power”
The opposition on Sunday alleged Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis pushed a man during his visit to a flood-affected area in Nagpur city, a charge rejected by the ruling BJP. Maharashtra Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) shared a video of Fadnavis visiting a rain-hit area on X and accused him of pushing away a resident, which they described as an “arrogance of power”.
The video clip shows some women arguing with the police and security personnel accompanying Fadnavis and apparently demanding that he visit their houses. Meanwhile, Fadnavis pulled a man, who was seen with the women, towards him and started talking with him.
“Instead of spending his “nights’ in disguise to bring down the MVA government. Devendra Fadnavis should have spent his ‘Days’ serving the people of his hometown Nagpur. Had he done that, he probably would not have faced the ‘Anger’ of these people. P.S His behaviour here is not acceptable,” NCP national spokesperson Clyde Crasto alleged on X and tagged the video to his post.
Reacting to the video, Maharashtra BJP said the statements by the opposition are “misleading and politically motivated”. “During Fadnavis’ visit to a flood-affected area in Nagpur, many residents wanted him to visit their homes. However, it is not possible to visit all the homes. Meanwhile, a resident was adamant that Fadnavis visit his house. As the police were stopping that person, Fadnavis held his hand and brought him near to tell him he would also visit his home,” the BJP posted on X.
There is no harm in people wanting Fadnavis, a local MLA, to visit their home because everybody in Nagpur likes him, the BJP said. “It is disgusting and the height of shamelessness that such incidents are politicised by those who never mix with people,” the BJP said in a veiled dig at former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray.
The BJP has also posted a video of Fadnavis visiting the home of the man seen in the video. “Congratulations to Uddhav Thackeray and Congress for abandoning the constructive work of the opposition party and accepting the work of the trolling gang! As people of the state rejected you, you have no other job. So stay tuned,” the BJP added.
In the morning, Fadnavis visited areas in the vicinity of Ambazari Lake, the city’s largest waterbody, which breached its boundaries on Saturday due to heavy rains. Extremely heavy rainfall of 109 mm in three hours, including 90 mm between 2 am and 4 am on Saturday, inundated several areas of the city, he said.
“As many as 10,000 homes have been affected. Mud has entered houses. The administration is providing medicines and help in cleaning up flood-affected areas. The level of damage is serious. The amount of rainfall was higher than the carrying capacity of the area,” he told reporters.
Four persons, including a 53-year-old bedridden woman, died in rain-related incidents, while more than 400 people had to be shifted to safety on Saturday.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)
