Even though the Shiv Sena is having an alliance with BJP in Maharashtra but both the parties are at loggerheads with each other over various issues. The difference between both the party was clearly visible as BJP had failed to invite Shiv Sena for its ‘Mumbai Next’ an initiative to boost development in the city and Mumbai metropolitan region. Sena’s absence from this event gave rise to speculations about whether it is being sidelined by BJP which is now playing the role of big brother in the state.
Few days back, Shiv Sena had criticised the BJP in its editorial published in Saamna by saying that the party has been ignoring the interests of the farmers forcing many of them to commit suicide. Sena also had taken a jibe at the BJP for inviting foreign investors to invest in the state but failing to resolve the problems faced by farmers. It had asked the BJP to fulfil the promises made by it to voters prior to election.
Maharashtra Education Minister Vinod Tawde gave a fitting reply to Sena by asking the party to refrain from airing its views through editorials published in newspaper. He asked Sena to discuss the issues at the government level instead of using media.
“A wrong message goes if such criticism is made publicly. Efforts are on to set up a co-ordination committee to ensure better understanding between the alliance partners,” Tawde said.
BJP leadership had conveyed its views about the editorial to Shiv Sena, he added.
Amid reports of a rift between the ruling parties in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said there are no differences with the BJP and they are only working towards fulfilling their electoral promises.
“There are no differences (with BJP) at all. Our only aim is to implement what we told people before the state Assembly election. We will keep working towards achieving our goals,” he said.
Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray inaugurated the Shiv Arogya Tele-Medicine service in the city. This initiative was launched at Rang Sharda auditorium, Bandra in the presence of Dr Deepak Sawant, Minister for public health and family welfare, eminent doctors Dr Bhupendra Awasthi, Dr Harvind Singh Marma, Dr Swapnesh Sawant, Dr Sandeep Rane also graced this occasion with their presence. However no BJP leaders were present on this occasion. Did the Sena adopt a tit for tat policy?
Under the Service, which was part of a pre-poll ‘Vision Document’ released by Sena, patients in remote areas will have access to latest medical technology and will get assistance from noted doctors through the Tele medicine service.
Internet and telephone will be extensively used as a part of this initiative to deliver treatment to patients.
“Critical medical reports like X-Ray, MRI, ECG, 2D Echo will now be available for viewing on large screen to well-known doctors and specialists, based in Mumbai. This will enable patients to avail expertise of the doctors without having to leave their areas,” state Health Minister Dr Deepak Sawant said.
He added that a test run of this initiative has been already done in remote areas of Dahanu and Chandrapur in the last 10 days.
“The success of this test run has led to widening the reach of this service to extremely remote locations like Gadchiroli, Melghat, Mokhada, etc. A base of 25 doctors has been set up in Mumbai, comprising cardiologists, ENT specialists, Onco surgeons, paediatricians and gynaecologists,”Sawant said.
“V-Sat technology has been set up for this purpose that allows uninterrupted connectivity to remote areas,” Sawant added.
