Azmi: `2cr to Raj if he finds Bangladeshis
Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi on Wednesday offered `2 crore to MNS chief Raj Thackeray if he substantiates his allegation that the SP leader has won the Assembly polls due to the Bangladeshi voters in his constituency.
In his rally on Tuesday at Azad Maidan, Mr Thackeray had alleged that Mr Azmi won state Assembly election from two constituencies because illegal Bangladeshi and Pakistani migrants voted for him. Reacting to Mr Thackeray’s statement, Mr Azi challenged the MNS chief.
“Raj Thackeray says there are lakhs of Bangladeshis in my constituency. I give him two months time to prove that there are even one lakh. If he is not able to find out then he should quit politics. If he finds them, then I will give him this cheque (of `2 crore) and quit politics,” Mr Azmi said.
Mr Azmi further condemned that Mr Thackeray accused him of Bhiwandi riots, saying he was in Gowandi when he heard about the police firing at Bhiwandi. “Raj Thackeray abused me. Even I can hurl abuses, but my conscience does not allow me,” Mr Azmi said.
The Samajwadi Party leader also complimented police commissioner for showing restraint and also taking effective action on August 11.
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123 talukas declared drought-hit
AGE CORRESPONDENT
mumbai, AUG. 22
The Maharashtra government on Wednesday declared 123 talukas in the state as drought-hit. The decision was taken in the Cabinet meeting. The state has also demanded `2,800 crore as assistance from the Centre to tackle the drought situation.
The state’s demand came after the EgoM from the Centre headed by Sharad Pawar had asked the state to declare all the drought-hit areas, if it wanted any financial aid from the Centre.
“The relief and rehabilitation department identified the talukas based on norms for the Drought Prone Area Programme. The norms on rainfall and crop sowing percentage were relaxed in some cases due to the exceptional nature of the situation prevailing there,” said an official from the relief and rehabilitation department. The state has so far received 82 per cent of the normal rain. In Marathawada region, dams have only nine per cent of their full capacity water stored. The EGoM had agreed to provide financial assistance for drinking water and fodder.
, as well as enhance the working days from 100 to 150 under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Generation Scheme (MNREGA) in the drought-affected talukas.
However, the EGoM had clarified that it could not sanction any relief unless the state government declared drought hit areas. “A delegation of the state ministers led by chief minister Prithviraj Chavan will now meet Mr Pawar in New Delhi on Friday to discuss the issue of financial assistance from the Centre,” the official said.
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