Bal Thackeray ridicules Narayan Rane
Mumbai: Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray
on Saturday rejected Maharashtra Industries Minister Narayan Rane's
allegation that the party took Rs 500 crore from 11 corporate
houses to scuttle the Jaitapur Nuclear Power project in
Ratnagiri district.
"Was Rane counting the money when Sena was offered Rs
500 crore to oppose the Jaitapur (nuclear) power plant. People
who know Rane won't find the allegations surprising. The same
person had alleged that some Congress leaders had connection
with Pakistani terrorists after 26/11 Mumbai attacks."
Thackeray said in an editorial of the party mouthpiece
Saamana.
Rane had also criticised senior Congress leader Ahmed
Patel and refused to work under the then chief minister Ashok
Chavan saying it was an "insult" to work under him, he said.
Thackeray also warned Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan
against Rane saying "He (Rane) needs psychiatric treatment
else he might one day also accuse Prithviraj Chavan of
offering Rs 500 crore to Sonia Gandhi to become chief
minister."
Defending his party's stand on the Jaitapur issue, the
senior Thackeray said that opposition to the nuclear power
project was a "spontaneous" reaction and not "sponsored" by
anyone as being alleged.
Shiv Sena is connected with the locals and no one
would risk his life and face bullets in lieu of money, he
added.
The industries minister had said in the state Assembly
that 11 corporate houses had approached a "particular
political party" to put spanner in the Jaitapur plant, fearing
they would have to lower power tariffs being supplied by them
if Jaitapur project sees the light of the day.
"According to our information, that political party is
Shiv Sena and the input is being probed," Rane had said.
Meanwhile, party executive president Uddhav Thackeray
will visit Jaitapur on Monday to meet the family members of
Tavrez Sayekar who was killed in police firing during the
violent protests at Sakhari Nate village.
The industries minister had said in the state Assembly
that 11 corporate houses had approached a "particular
political party" so as to put spanner in the Jaitapur plant,
fearing they would have to lower power tariffs being supplied
by them if Jaitapur project sees the light of the day.
"According to our information, that political party is
Shiv Sena and the input is being probed," Rane had said.
Meanwhile, party executive president Uddhav Thackeray
will visit Jaitapur on Monday to meet the family members of
Tavrez Sayekar who was killed in police firing during the
violent protests at Sakhari Nate village.
PTI