Shiv Sena continues it tirade against Congress, asks PM to visit drought-hit areas

Reiterating that India cannot become 'Congress-free' unless it becomes 'drought-free', Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday advised Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Bundelkhand and Marathwada to witness the agony faced by the people.

Raut had yesterday in Rajya Sabha said that BJP cannot realise its dream of keeping India free of Congress until it finds a solution to drought, floods, poverty and other such problems faced by the people.

"Yesterday there was a discussion on drought. We said that as long as nation becomes drought-free, it is not possible to make it Congress-free. The prime Minister is a world leader. He visits so many nations. He should take some out and visit drought-hit areas," Raut told ANI this morning.

"He should visit there, meet the suffering people and listen to their problems. He will then realise the kind of pain and agony they are facing," he added.

In a fiery editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana, Shiv Sena said, ''Prior to elections, Narendra Modi had promised a 'Congress-mukt Bharat'. We achieved that in the general elections. All this poverty, drought and unemployment is the legacy of the Congress. The country will not be free of Congress until we get rid of all these.''

Earlier, Maharashtra's Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar squarely blamed the Congress party and the governments that it ran in the state for the ongoing drought that has left hundreds of thousands of people in various districts parched and hapless.

Participating in ETV's popular "The J C Show" in Mumbai, Mungantiwar spoke on the crisis brought on by the drought as well on several other important issues related both to the BJP and the government it runs in Maharashtra under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Coming specifically to the drought-related crisis that has ravaged most parts of Maharashtra, Mungantiwar told Head, ETV News, Jagdish Chandra, that the state government is taking all necessary steps to provide enough water to the people and is particularly focused on all irrigation-related matters.