CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday tried to corner the Union government over the time extension asked by the State Bank of India to give details of those who had bought electoral bonds.
Speaking in Ausa in Latur, Thackeray said banks promptly come out with all information about farmers when there is a default or delay in loan repayment but in the electoral bond issue, lenders are asking for time to extract details.
“Banks stick notices on the doors of farmers when they are unable to repay loans. They have all the information at hand about farmers who can’t repay loans on time. But for electoral bonds, they (banks) are asking for extension to submit details,” he said.
The Supreme Court, on February 15, struck down the electoral bond scheme, calling it unconstitutional. It had also asked the SBI to give details connected to these bonds by March 6, but the lender had approached the apex court seeking an extension of the deadline until June 30.
Slamming Union Minister Amit Shah’s statement that the NDA government did in 10 years what the Congress could not in 40 years, Thackeray sarcastically said, “BJP made Rs 7,000 crore in electoral bonds in 10 years while Congress could garner just Rs 600-700 crore.”
Attacking the Union government over its claim to make India a developed nation by 2047, Thackeray said the ruling dispensation must talk about the present and what they can give to the poor who are unable to afford meals.
Thackeray claimed the Eknath Shinde government had spent Rs 85 crore in advertisements and asserted he would have earmarked this amount for farmers’ welfare had he been in power.
Thackeray is on a two-day tour of Latur and Dharashiv districts and will address rallies in Tuljapur, Kalamb, Umerga and Bhum.
