Nagpur: With the issue of Vidarbha Statehood coming to life again, the city is witnessing war of words being waged by diehard supporters and opponents. The City Unit of Shiv Sena voiced its Akhand Maharashtra slogan apparently targeting the local Congress leaders who had opposed a United Maharashtra proposal.
Sena District President Satish Harde, opposing the demand of separate Vidarbha, slammed Congress leader Vilas Muttemwar for his demand of carving out Vidarbha State. Muttemwar, in a strongly worded statement on Tuesday, had come down heavily on Shiv Sena and had objected to its opposition to separate Vidarbha. Terming the frequent demand for Vidarbha State as political drama being enacted by Congress, Harde said that the party has been left with no other issue. “Had the Congress leaders so much interested in creating separate Vidarbha then why it was not done when the party was in power for so many years. Vidarbha is part of Maharashtra and will remain forever. The state will not be divided in two parts,” Harde asserted.
Separate state can only be basis for development: Kimmatkar
Amid the war of words between the political parties, the veteran expert on Vidarbha Madhukar Kimmatkar has termed the demand of Muttemwar as correct. “The backlog of Vidarbha cannot be completed even in the next 25 years. The irrigation backlog has been completed by 60 percent only. The Western Maharashtra is responsible for this condition of Vidarbha. Separate Vidarbha is the only solution for all-round development of the region,” Kimmatkar said.
