Aurangabad, Aug 16:
Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has already passed the resolution of naming Aurangabad airport after the Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. The issues of common people and their grievances like unemployment, price hike, discrimination etc., are of utmost priority for Congress. We are not against renaming the city if these issues are solved. The Congress has already clarified its role while drafting the common minimum programme (CMP) and we adhere to it, said the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Nana Patole.
Patole responded to the statement made by the Shiv Sena's guardian minister Subhash Desai in during the Independence Day programme saying, " This is the right time to rename the city as Sambhajinagar."
MPCC chief was speaking to the media persons at a press conference organised in the city today afternoon to apprise them about his Maharashtra's tour dubbed as " Vyarth Na Jaye Balidan; Chalo Bachaye Samvidhan." Political dignitaries and office-bearers of City-District Congress including Shivaji Moghe, Sampat Kumar, Chandrakant Handore, Sanjay Rathod, Kalyan Kale, Hisham Osmani, and others were present on the occasion.
" The Congress came into existence to achieve freedom. India has reached heights, prospered and progressed due to the party after the Britishers left the country. Under the above campaign, the party is visiting places where our leaders and activists sacrificed their lives in protecting the sanctity of the Constitution and the democracy of our Country. It seems the present union Government does not believe in the Constitution. Ironically, August 14, is a Black Day (Kala Divas) due to the bloodshed in the name of the partition, but the present union government is telling us to observe it as a Remembrance Day (Smruti Divas). The trick of divide and rule is being played by our Prime Minister, which was previously used by the Britishers," stressed MPCC chief.
Patole termed the hike in fuel and essential commodities as artificial and claimed that it is burdening the commoners. Besides, the shortage of vaccines has paralysed the commoners. Our iconic leader Rahul Gandhi when raised people's issues, the opponents hacked his social media accounts. Our democracy is in danger. Hence, Congress feels is the right time to bring to the notice of the next generation, the sacrifices made by its members, and stop their emotional blackmailing. Congress has fought the freedom struggle with the participation of people from all sections of the society, irrespective of caste, colour and creed. Hence in politics, it continues to think and act beyond religion, he pointed out.
Sports university in every revenue division
Patole also underlined that the state government has plans to open sports university in each revenue division in Maharashtra like Aurangabad, Nasik, Pune, Amravati, Konkan etc. Accordingly, it is working on this line. He also spoke on BJP's role against granting of social reservations; demands union road and transport minister Nitin Gadkari to release White Paper regarding the roads; irregularities in the national highways etc.
AIMIM is not a challenge
MPCC chief explained that the party has devised a policy and is firm in the decision to contest in the forthcoming Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) elections. The party's focus will purely be on resolving local issues, he said. When asked about the possible challenges to be posed by the AIMIM, Patole said, " Congress has its own ideology. We do not look upon them (without naming AIMIM) as a challenge in the AMC elections."