Sapkal calls Amit Shah's Maharashtra visit a 'benefits mission', not a service one

Maharashtra politics has heated up again over Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to the state. Maharashtra Congress state president Harshvardhan Sapkal launched a sharp attack on the visit, saying it was not a "Seva Sankalp Abhiyan" (service resolution campaign) but a "Meva Sankalp Abhiyan" (benefits resolution campaign).

Sapkal said Mumbai is the country's financial capital, and the visit was being made with the thinking of how the BJP could gain political and economic advantage by coming to Maharashtra. His remarks are likely to sharpen the exchange of accusations between the ruling side and the opposition.

Sapkal directly challenged Amit Shah, saying the drought crisis in Maharashtra is severe and farmers are in great difficulty. He said that if the government truly wants to serve Maharashtra, it should announce a blanket loan waiver for farmers and compensation of 50,000 rupees per hectare for losses.

Sapkal also questioned the government over land deals in the state. He said the government should place before the public an account of which lands were given to industrialists, how much money was raised from this, and whether there was any irregularity in these deals.

He also targeted the government over spending on the Kumbh Mela. He said the public should be given an account of the expenditure of thousands of crores of rupees, and alleged that there had been irregularities in this money.

Sapkal also commented on the ideology of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. He alleged that the RSS's current "liberal" face is only for show. He demanded that the RSS clarify its position on the Constitution, the tricolour and the Muslim community.

Sapkal specifically said that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat should directly clarify his stand on these issues. Under the pretext of Amit Shah's visit, the old confrontation between the BJP and Congress appears to be flaring up again in Maharashtra politics.