Gokul row: Raj Thackeray questions BJP's 'Save Democracy' marches over cooperative appointments

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MNS chief Raj Thackeray on Friday criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP over its nationwide Save Democracy marches questioning the ruling partys commitment to democratic principles in the wake of the controversy surrounding the Kolhapur District Cooperative Milk Producers Union popularly known as Gokul DairyThackeray accused the BJP of holding protests to defend democracy while allegedly using government decisions to influence the outcome of local cooperative elections He pointed to the recent Gokul Dairy board elections in which the panel backed by Congress leader Satej Patil won 13 of the 25 seats while the Mahayutibacked panel secured 12Raj Thackeray questions BJPs democratic credentialsIn a statement Thackeray questioned why a party in power at multiple levels was organising marches against the opposition in the name of saving democracyThe Bharatiya Janata Party is a truly bizarre party Even though it is in power from top to bottom it is still taking out marches to save democracy This must be the only example in the world where the ruling party takes out a march against the opposition he saidTaking a sarcastic swipe at the campaign he compared the BJPs appeal to save democracy with the iconic KFC logo mascot campaigning to save chickens He also accused the party of continuing to behave like an opposition party despite being in power for more than a decadeGokul appointments trigger criticismThackeray cited the Gokul Dairy election results to question the governments decision to amend provisions governing appointments to cooperative institutionsThe Maharashtra Cabinet approved an amendment allowing five governmentnominated members on the boards of cooperative institutions with an annual turnover exceeding Rs 500 crore Four of these nominees will have voting rights while the fifth will be a government representative without voting rightsThackeray questioned the timing of the decision alleging that it could undermine the mandate delivered by Gokuls elected directorsIf you truly have such a strong desire to preserve the roots of democracy then in the Gokul case after your BJP panelrsquos 12 members lost to Satyajit Patilrsquos panelrsquos 13 members getting elected why did you immediately appoint 5 directors from the Maharashtra government and give them voting rights What exactly are you trying to prove with that he askedHe alleged that the government was attempting to influence control of the dairy through administrative intervention after the Mahayutibacked panel failed to secure a majority in the electionThackeray takes swipe at BJP over governanceThe MNS chief also criticised the BJP over what he described as a gap between its political messaging and governance recordRight now in Maharashtra therersquos a severe drought of water and a severe drought of common sense in the Bharatiya Janata Party happening at the same time itrsquos astonishing how that can occur he saidThackeray further alleged that the BJP organised protests to deflect attention from its own governance failures citing campaigns on terrorism and the economy as examplesHe urged the ruling party to accept electoral setbacks rather than portray itself as a victimThe Bharatiya Janata Party should stop playing the pity card Whichever path you took to gain that majority all the opposition parties endured it for 12 years so now if the people of this country are starting to lean toward the opposition parties the BJP should learn to endure it as well he saidSatej Patil announces November 9 protest marchThe controversy has also prompted Congress leader Satej Patil to announce a protest march in Kolhapur on November 9 The march will begin at Dasara Chowk and proceed to the district collectors officePatil has alleged that the governments decision to appoint nominated directors is an attempt to take control of Gokul despite his panel winning the election He has also announced that his side will continue its legal challenge to the decisionHasan Mushrif defends governments decisionMaharashtra minister Hasan Mushrif defended the governments move saying it was intended to resolve the deadlock over the election of Gokuls chairman and prevent the appointment of an administratorMushrif said Gokuls bylaws require a quorum of 14 directors to elect the chairman Since the Mahayutibacked panels 12 directors did not attend the earlier meeting the required quorum could not be metHe argued that repeated failure to convene the meeting could lead to the appointment of an administrator and fresh elections The government he said had intervened to ensure that the cooperative remained under the control of its elected representatives rather than an administratorWith inputs from IANS