Stop targeting PM Modi: CM Devendra Fadnavis to Shiv Sena

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has asked the Shiv Sena to stop criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for its own well-being, even as he expressed confidence that he is well capable of giving a befitting reply to the Sena over its personal attacks against him.

Mr Fadnavis, in an interview to a news agency, also took a dig at the \"established leadership\" in the state, saying they are trying to use peoples' anger that has now spilled on to the streets in the form of silent protests to fulfill their agenda against him either directly or by “proxy” means.

“Speaking about Modi ji shows the Shiv Sena in bad light and people do not like it at all. As far as I am concerned I am ready to face and give them a proper reply. So I do not care (about their criticism). Governance and politics are two different things. The Sena should refrain from criticising the Prime Minister, but I am okay with their criticism,” Mr Fadnavis said.

The CM expressed confidence that both parties will complete five years in government together and that there is bound to be \"friction\" between them owing to different ideologies in matters of policy implementations and style of governing.

“But I can claim that we have been able to run the government successfully where all major policy decisions have been undertaken by a unanimous vote,” he said.

According to Mr Fadnavis, the anger of the Maratha community is not directed towards his government, but towards the “historical injustice” towards them by successive regimes, which has resulted in “nearly 80 per cent people remaining in agony.”

“One faction from the Maratha community is 20-25 per cent people who have been ruling the state, have been ministers, MLAs, have been controlling the entire cooperative sectors, controlling private educational institutions and are absolutely wealthy and well to do. Then there is 75-80 per cent people who have been left outs,” Mr Fadnavis said.

“This is the agony of these left outs and it is not just against governments but against these 20-25 per cent people as well. Established leadership was not allowed to take centre stage (in the protests),” he said.

“Among the established leadership, there are people who have been trying to target me using this platform, but fortunately the protest organisers have not allowed them till date to do this. These people are also trying to put in front some proxy organisations since they are not allowed to direct this anger against the government. But I am sure they will not be allowed to do that as well,” he said.