Both the deputy chief ministers of Maharashtra, BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis and NCP’s Ajit Pawar, share their birthday on the same day — July 22. But this year, when the two (from rival parties) finally joined hands, the celebrations were called off. The leaders advised party members not to hold any birthday bashes in wake of the landslide in Raigad district’s Irshalgad that killed 24 people.
Despite the advisory by deputy CM, hoardings wishing the two sprung up in Nagpur. The posters also dubbed their ‘friendship’ as ‘long-lasting’. Ajit Pawar urged people to donate money to the Chief Minister’s relief fund and not unnecessarily spend on flowers and hoardings, while BJP workers decided to help the flood-affected people instead to planning celebrations for Fadnavis.
A report in Pune Mirror quoted Maharashtra BJP president Chandrasekhar Bawankule as saying that that they’ll mark Fadnavis’ birthday as ‘Seva Day’. He announced that party workers, public representatives and office-bearers would voluntarily serve the flood-affected areas across the state.
Bawankule further said that medical assistance will be provided to the people of the affected areas. The report also quoted NCP’s (Ajit Pawar faction) Pune city president, Deepak Mankar, as saying, “We have decided not to celebrate Ajit dada’s birthday. Instead, we will contribute Rs 5 lakh to the Irshalgad victims’ families.”
The Irshalgad landslide occurred in the tribal village at around 11 pm on July 19. The village situated on a hill slope, under Khalapur tehsil of Maharashtra’s Raigad district, is around 80 km from Mumbai. Even as the search and rescue operation continued on Saturday, the disaster has so far claimed lives of 24 people.
An Indian Express report said that the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) suspended the rescue operations on Friday evening and resumed it on Saturday morning, over 100 people are still feared to be trapped.
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