Yuva Sena president Aditya Thackeray on Saturday criticised the BJP-led NDA government saying the ruling dispensation is "not different" from previous "incompetent" UPA regime as people's issues remain unresolved.
Aditya, son of Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, organised a protest march against state government to highlight its "inaction" on policy issues in education sector.
The march, called 'KG to PG', was first such protest to be organised under the leadership of the Thackeray scion in the view of upcoming elections to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), due next year.
The march started from Wilson College at Girgaum chowpatty and ended with Aditya's address at Islam Gymkhana.
Speaking on the occasion, Aditya said Sena initially thought that the NDA government is "their" own which will provide relief to people after 15 years of "misrule" by the previous Congress-NCP government, but the present regime has proved to be a dampener.
"The previous government was an incompetent and an ineffective government and this government is not different (either). People's issues remain unresolved," Aditya said.
He said Yuva Sena was forced to take out morcha as the issues concerning students remained unresolved despite assurance by Education Minister Vinod Tawde.
"The journey of the last one-and-a-half years has been more of promises rather than good governance. It seems as if all demands have been put on ATKT (a process in education system that allows students of pre-graduation and graduation to study in the next grade if they have failed in 1 to 4 subjects)," the Yuva Sena chief said.
He asked the government to declare timing when it will come out with a law regarding admissions in KG class, and called for doing away with the practice of conducting interviews of parents at the time of admission of their wards.
"In last year, 1.5 lakh students failed in class IX exams. This is the condition of our education sector. This year, two lakh students have failed to receive admissions in the online admission system of this government. Why was this system brought anyway," he questioned.
Aditya said the concept of 'Digital India' is a "farce".
"If government wants it (Digital India) to succeed, it should come out with a helpline number along with a WhatsApp number rather than only having a website. We keep asking questions but receive no reply. Why has the issue of excess weight of school bags not been resolved yet?
"It's been two years now and people are asking us when will 'acche din' actually arrive," the young leader said. Aditya's broadside came against the backdrop of growing chasm between Sena and BJP, with leaders of both the parties attacking each other over issues of governance and corruption.
On its annual Dussehra rally on Tuesday, Uddhav had dared BJP to snap ties, in response to BJP MP Kirit Somaiya's statement that BJP can fight BMC polls on its own strength. BMC is ruled by the saffron combine of Sena and BJP, with the former being a major partner in power.
(With PTI inputs)
