Targeting the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party over farmer suicides in Maharashtra, Raj Thackeray on Monday said instead of taking their own lives, farmers should “kill those who have done injustice” to them.
“Don’t commit suicide. It is not a solution to your problems. If at all you want to die, first kill those who have done injustice to you,” Mr. Thackeray told farmers at a rally in Yavatmal in Maharashtra.
He was campaigning for Raju Patil Raje, his Maharashtra Navnirman Sena’s only candidate running for Parliament, from the Vidarbha region.
Mr. Thackeray read out a purported suicide note by a farmer urging people not to vote for the ruling Congress-NCP combine, saying they had pushed him over the edge.
“For the past 67 years, elections continue to be fought on four issues – roads, energy, water and employment. But all these issues have still remained unresolved. In such a case, we don’t want any election at all. In villages, country liquor is available in plenty, whereas drinking water is not. It is the tragedy of our system,” said the MNS chief.
He criticised Congress and NCP leaders for visiting only those places affected by the recent hailstorm, where their parties had a strong base.
Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and Sharad Pawar visit only their respective party areas, affected by hailstorms and politicise the issue,” he said.
