Ramdas Kadam does u-turn on cracker ban

Mumbai: A day after divide within Shiv Sena over banning of firecrackers in the city was out in the open, environment minister and Sena leader Ramdas Kadam has done a U-turn on his earlier statement and supported his party chief's stand. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had opposed the ban and asked why only Hindu festivals are being targeted?

Retracting his earlier statement, Mr Kadam said that he would support the festive celebration. “I am a staunch supporter of Hindutva, and I had just welcomed the Supreme Court’s verdict yesterday. But Mumbai does not have pollution like Delhi, and there should not be ban on firecrackers. The Sena will not support any such move,” Mr Kadam said.

On Tuesday, Mr Kadam had said, “I will talk to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and ask if we can also ban crackers in Maharashtra along the lines of the Supreme Court’s ruling for Delhi. The festivals in Maharashtra should be pollution-free. When we burst firecrackers during Diwali, it causes pollution, affects human beings. Shops also catch fire, and children die. The high pollution level has a bad effect on the atmosphere which is the reason that sometimes there is low rainfall and sometimes there is heavy rainfall.”  

The Sena chief reacted to the firecrackers controversy. “Now only one order is expected that would say do not follow the calendar and celebrate festivals. As it is our festivals are lacklustre. If the silence is forced in this manner, one day it will break,” he said.  Mr Raj Thackery, the  Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief, had also opposed the Supreme Court order on Tuesday. “Why there is ban proposed on firecrackers during Hindu festivals? Should we burst firecrackers on Whats App?” he said sarcastically.  

The Supreme Court's order banning the crackers has received mixed reactions.