Amid furore over Navy veteran assault, Kangana Ranaut's office demolition, Uddhav Thackeray says conspiracy to defame Maharashtra

The Maharashtra government led by Uddhav Thackeray is facing heat from several quarters over the recent assault on a former Navy officer and demolition drive by BMC at Kangana's Bandra office.

File Photo (PTI)

MUMBAI: Amid furore from the opposition over the recent attack on Navy veteran Madan Sharma and demolition drive carried out by BMC at actress Kangana Ranaut's Mumbai office, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday stated that there is a 'conspiracy' to defame his state. He added that his government has been working effectively to tackle COVID-19 infection in the state.

"Whatever political storms come, I will face... I will fight coronavirus too," Thackeray said in a televised public address. A day after COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra crossed the 10-lakh mark, Thackeray said his government has done effective work to tackle the pandemic.

The Maharashtra Chief Minister also appealed people to not organise morchas, protests or any sort of demonstration on Maratha quota issue during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. His statement on Maratha quota came days after the Supreme Court on September 9 directed that no quota will be granted to people of the Maratha community in education and jobs in the state this year and referred the hearing on a batch of plea challenging the constitutional validity of a Maharashtra law granting Maratha reservation in education and jobs to a larger bench.

The Maharashtra government led by Uddhav Thackeray is facing heat from several quarters after a few Shiv Sena workers allegedly roughed up a Navy veteran for forwarding a cartoon lampooning Maharashtra Chief Minister. On September 12, Six Shiv Sena workers were arrested charged under section 325 of the Indian Penal Code for causing grievous hurt as well as rioting sections, and later released on bail. 

The Maharashtra government is facing criticism for the recent demolition drive carried out by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) at actress Kangana Ranaut's Bandra office earlier this week. The incident had taken place at a time when the actress was involved in a verbal spat with the Sena. It is to be noted that BMC is controlled by the Sena.

Kangana courted controversy and locked herself in a faceoff with Shiv Sena after she likened Mumbai to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) saying she feared the city police more than the 'movie mafia'.

The NCP, who is the part of the coalition government in Maharashtra on Saturday came out and defended the Aghadi government in the state had nothing to do with the demolition of the alleged 'illegal alterations' at Kangana's office and the decision to do so was taken by the BMC.