Nationalist Congress Party leader Supriya Sule on Tuesday expressed surprise over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's suggestion that Maharashtra encouraged spread of COVID-19 in other states, and wondered why he "harboured such hatred" for the state that had a lion's share in his election to the top executive post.
"I wonder what delight does the prime minister get in criticising Maharashtra repeatedly, shifting key projects out of the state and undermining the importance of Mumbai. It is unfortunate," Sule told reporters in New Delhi.
"Maharashtra has never bowed before the authority of Delhi and will never do so," the Lok Sabha member from Baramati said.
Sule said the claims made by the prime minister against Maharashtra during his reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address lacked any scientific basis.
Modi had said, "What did Congress leaders do? They stood at railway stations in Mumbai and distributed free tickets to encourage them to leave Mumbai. They inspired people to leave so that the burden over Maharashtra could be lessened. You go to Uttar Pradesh, you go to Bihar. Go, spread corona there. You committed this sin and created an atmosphere of chaos".
She said as the pandemic was unfolding in March 2020, Trinamool member Saugata Roy had approached the prime minister with a request to adjourn the session of Parliament.
"But, the prime minister ignored his request as these people were busy toppling the government in Madhya Pradesh," Sule charged.
On the suggestion that Maharashtra had aided spread of Covid in other states, Sule said it was the Centre that operated special trains to ferry migrant labourers to their respective homes.
"The then Railway Minister Piyush Goyal had talked about operating 125 special trains in March 2020, Devendra Fadnavis has thanked the Centre for operating special trains to ferry migrant labourers to Uttar Pradesh," she said.
She said that Bharatiya Janata Party member Harish Dwivedi, who initiated the debate in the Lok Sabha, also credited the Centre for running special trains.
"Still the prime Mmnister claims that Maharashtra sent back migrant labourers to other states," Sule said.
The NCP leader reminded the prime minister that Maharashtra had elected 22 BJP members in the Lok Sabha elections and urged him to "at least be loyal to the soil of the state."
Sule, citing Railway Ministry documents, said the largest number of Shramik Special trains -- 1033 -- were operated from Gujarat, followed by Maharashtra (817) and Punjab (429).
