If name-changes solves problems, then go ahead, Congress takes jibe at BJP

Mumbai, March 6 Taking a swipe at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre, Congress's Maharashtra unit President Nana Patole on Monday said that if changing names of cities can resolve problems of farmers, inflation, unemployment, confronting the country, then it should go ahead with this measure.

"If the government feels that by changing the names of cities, farmers and jobless are benefitted, inflation will reduce and peoples' burning problems will be solved, then by all means change. But the BJP is ignoring the masses' burning needs and instead resorting to diversionary tactics," he said.

"This is leading to increased social-communal tensions, rifts are being created between communities in such issues while the poor become poorer and a handful of the wealthy keep getting richer, as the 'Gujarat pattern' is being pursued to pressurise the Opposition, Patole added.

Claiming that since 2014, the Constitution, laws and democratic systems are being blatantly trampled upon while the central probe agencies are being misused to throttle the voice of the Opposition leaders and people, Patole said the Congress has taken the task to unite all the Opposition parties.

"We shall join together all the parties that are willing to fight the anti-people, anti-farmer and anti-democratic BJP all over the country to save democracy and preserve the Constitution," he said.

His comments came soon after Maha Vikas Aghadi ally Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar said the people of the state are aching for a political change and his sentiments were endorsed by Shiv Sena-UBT MP and chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut.

Patole also seconded senior colleague and ex-CM Ashok Chavan's comments in Nanded that a situation worse than the Emergency was prevailing, freedom of speech is being restricted and those who speak against the government get death threats.

He said that the political atmosphere is "alarming" with the BJP's "interference" having increased in all autonomous institutions, the administration, the justice system is not spared, and the condition of the Election Commission is being witnessed with the Supreme Court having to pay attention.

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