RSS coordination meet involving ministers, VHP, ABVP ends

The two-day long coordination camp of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) concluded on Sunday with several Union and Maharashtra ministers in attendance, even as the Opposition took a dig at government over the plight of farmers due to drought.

Waman Deshpande, RSS Prachar Pramukh of Devgiri said office-bearers of more than 30 different organisations, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Samajik Samarasta Manch and Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram were part of the event.

According to Deshpande, four Union ministers, including Nitin Gadkari, Prakash Javadekar and Hansraj Ahir and ten ministers from Maharashtra, including Eknath Khadse, Vinod Tawde, Girish Mahajan, Sudhir Mungantiwar, Pankaja Munde, Chandrkanat Patil, Deepak Sawant, Vishnu Sawra and Baban Lonikar, were present at the RSS camp.

Fadnavis later chaired Aurangabad division review meeting to discuss the water scarcity situation in Marathwada region.

However, the Opposition lapped up the opportunity to target Fadnavis over the plight of farmers reeling under drought. NCP leader Sunil Tatkare said the presence of ministers at the RSS meet only reveals the priorities of the Central and the state government.

"Did we ever have 19 ministers in the state to take a stock of drought condition and to understand why farmers are committing suicide? But all these Centre and state ministers got time for the RSS meet. This only shows what the priorities of the government are," Tatkare told PTI.

"The people of Maharashtra would have been so happy to see the Central leadership coming to the state to soothe the wounds of those affected by drought," he said.

Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said the state government's review meet on drought in Aurangabad was just a "formality". He sought to know why Fadnavis did not get time to visit the drought-affected region earlier. "The CM found time for the RSS review meeting only. He must have felt that since he has already come (to Aurangabad) for the meet, he might as well take a review meet on drought," Sawant told reporters.