Mumbai: With the Center providing Y-plus security to rebel Shiv Sena MLAs from Maharashtra, the party on Monday claimed that it is now clear that the BJP is “pulling the strings” amid the current political turmoil in the state. An editorial in Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’ compared the rebel MLAs of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena to a “big bull” and alleged that they were “sold” for Rs 50 crore. The Center on Sunday increased the Y-plus security cover of CRPF commandos for at least 15 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs, officials had said earlier.
Those providing security include Ramesh Bornare, Mangesh Kudalkar, Sanjay Shirsat, Latabai Sonawane, Prakash Surve and 10 others. Officials had said that their families living in Maharashtra would also be protected. He said around four to five Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) commandos, in Pali, would secure each MLA once in Maharashtra.
“Finally, the BJP has been exposed. They were saying that the rebellion in the Shiv Sena was an internal matter,” said an editorial in ‘Saamana’. “But, in the dark of night, the uber rich Ekdas (Eknath) Shinde And Devendra Fadnavis (Leader of Opposition) met in Vadodara. Even Union Home Minister Amit Shah was present in the meeting.”
The Marathi publication said the Center immediately provided Y plus security to the rebel MLAs after the meeting, as if they were “defenders of democracy”.
Is the Center afraid that the MLAs will return to their party after coming back to the state? it asked. “It is now clear that the BJP at the Center and in the state has written the script for these actors (rebel MLAs) and is directing the entire play,” the editorial said.
The party claimed that the BJP’s “sedition” against Maharashtra has been exposed by providing Y+ security to the rebel MLAs. Shivsena further said Providing Y+ security to rebel MLAs as a threat to their lives amounts to encroachment on the rights of the state, and is not the first instance of the Centre’s “autocratic” behaviour.
Shinde last week wrote to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and state Home Minister Dilip Walse Patil, saying the security of the families of the rebel MLAs has been withdrawn.
The Shiv Sena said that Walse Patil has clarified that the security of the families of the rebel MLAs has not been removed. “Even if it was removed, it could not be said that it was done out of exact political vendetta,” it said. But, the state government did not resort to such cruel treatment.
Most of the Shiv Sena MLAs have shifted their loyalty to Eknath Shinde and are currently camping in Assam’s Guwahati city, plunging the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by CM Uddhav Thackeray into trouble. The Maharashtra Assembly Secretariat on Saturday issued ‘summons’ to 16 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs, including Shinde, seeking written replies by the evening of June 27, demanding their disqualification.