BJP mocks Patole's 'fuel price' tirade against Big B & Akshay; MLA demands police case

BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis dismissed Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole's tirade against actors Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar as a "publicity stunt". Questioning the silence of Bachchan and Kumar over the rising diesel and petrol prices in the country, Patole had threatened to not allow the shooting and screening of their movies in Maharashtra. Speaking to the media in Mumbai on Thursday, the former Maharashtra CM contended that the former Speaker was talking about these celebrities so that he can get day-long coverage in the media. Asserting that the rule of law exists in the state, Fadnavis made it clear that Patole cannot unilaterally carry out any such action. While BJP MLA Ram Kadam extended solidarity with the celebrities, another legislator Ameet Satam urged Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh to register a case against Patole. 

Former CM Devendra Fadnavis remarked, "This is a publicity stunt by Nana Patole. He knows that the news will run the whole day if he talks on celebrities like Amitabh ji and Akshay Kumar ji. He has to earn his name as he has been newly appointed as the president (of state Congress). So he must have thought that he will get publicity for the whole day because of them. Who can stop this? How can it be stopped? This is a democracy. There is rule of law. You might be the president of the ruling party, but you are not the owner."

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Nana Patole stated, "The common person is suffering owing to the rise in diesel, petrol and gas prices. I said yesterday that during the Dr. Manmohan Singh government, whether it is Amitabh Bachchan or Akshay Kumar, they would criticise using Twitter. Why are they quiet today? We will not let the shooting or movie of Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar in Maharashtra. Just like they democratically tweeted during Manmohan Singh's government, they should express their opinion regarding the Modi government's atrocity and injustice. If they don't do so, we will shut down their shooting and movies in Maharashtra."

Rising fuel prices

While the opposition has been up in arms over the continuous increase in fuel prices, the Union government has not announced a reduction in excise duty so far. In a startling development, the petrol price in Sri Ganganagar district of Rajasthan has crossed Rs.100 per litre. The rise in India's Crude Oil Basket from an average of 40.7 dollars per barrel in October 2020 to 62.64 dollars per barrel in February 2021 is considered a key factor for the current situation. At the same time, it is also owing to the fact that both the Centre and many states have increased their taxes on petrol and diesel. Deflecting criticism on Tuesday, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari advocated that it was time to switch to "alternative fuel". 

Read: Govt To Move Court Over Delay In Appointment Of Nominated MLCs: Patole