Maharashtra Congress to observe May 26 as death anniversary of 'achhe din'

Mumbai: Criticising the Modi government, which completes one year in office on May 26, over its "false" promises, Maharashtra Congress on Friday said it would hold protests against the Centre on the day and observe it as 'punyatithi' (death anniversary) of 'achhe din'.

Targeting the Centre, MPCC president Ashok Chavan said in Mumbai that the party will stage state-wide protests against the Modi government for giving "false" promises to the people to win elections and not taking steps to fulfilling them in the last one year.

"In the last one year, the government has failed to check price rise, improve employment generation, bring black money back, deposit Rs 15 lakh in the bank account of every citizen, increase MRP of agriculture produce, deal firmly with terrorism as well as with Pakistan and China as it had promised before elections," he said.

"On election campaign trail, the BJP had promised to bring 'achhe din' in 100 days of coming to power and now they are shamelessly saying that there was no time-frame," he alleged.

With Modi as its Prime Ministerial candidate, the BJP had used the expression 'achhe din aane wale hain' (good days are coming) as a poll slogan in last year's general elections. Chavan said on May 26, 2014, crude oil per barrel was USD 110 and the price of diesel was Rs 63 and petrol Rs 80 per litre.

"Today, the price of a barrel is 66 USD. But diesel costs Rs 59 and petrol Rs 73 per litre," he said adding that the cost of essential commodities have also gone up.

Chavan noted that 1,200 farmers have committed suicides in the state this year and the government does not seem to be serious about providing immediate relief.

"Even I am not in favour of loan waiver repeatedly. But the situation is such that loan waiver is warranted because there have been repeated natural calamities," he said.

Chavan also hit out at the Centre on the issue of giving passport to separatist leader Syed Geelani and the whereabouts of terrorist Dawood Ibrahim.

"The two incidents show how the NDA is soft on the issue of terrorism and Pakistan," he added.