Sanjay Raut from the Uddhav Thackeray faction was all praise for Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, a day after his release from jail after over three months.
“There is a new government in Maharashtra, which has taken some good decisions too. We do not oppose for the sake of opposing. Devendra Fadnavis has taken some good decisions. I read the newspaper whenever possible (in jail). Decisions such as housing for the poor deserve praise,” said Thackeray.
Raut said lauded Fadnavis’ decision to grant more rights to MHADA (Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority). “Our government had taken away those rights. I did not like that. Fadnavis has done well to restore those,” he said, and told reporters that he would meet with Fadnavis “regarding some public work”.
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Raut’s praise was limited to Fadnavis. He did not name Eknath Shinde. The journalist-turned-politician, who is a member of the Lok Sabha, had defended the Thackerays aggressively when Eknath Shinde broke away five months ago. He refused to speak much on the court order, which said his arrest was wrong as the probe agency ED has not given any evidence of money laundering. He is accused of a scam in a housing project. “The order has sent an encouraging sign across the country. I will not comment on that or on the ED. Nor will I speak on the architects of this controversy. If my incarceration made them happy, let that be so,” he said.
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“In my heart, I hold no grudge against anyone ever. My family suffered a lot. But such is life. We are in politics. I refuse to blame the system as a whole. I do not blame any central probe agency either. When they get a chance to do good things, they should,” he said, though later, at Thackeray’s home, he made a stern comment: “The question is, are probe agencies pets of the state and central governments? There is an argument for closing down the ED altogether.”
About his comments after release that his unfair arrest was “on orders from Delhi", he said, “No one should be arrested on false charges; it's not just about me.”
On his time in jail, he said, “I was unwell in jail, and I am unwell now. Jail is no happy time. One has to talk to the walls. All connection with the outside world is lost. In loneliness, one has to talk to the walls.”
He said he took inspiration from VD Savarkar, Bal Gangadhar, and Atal Bihari Vajpayee who'd spent years in jail. “Whoever is in politics has to go to jail at some point, I told myself.”
