Manav announces support for MVA to oust current ‘illegal’ state govt

Nagpur: Shyam Manav, head of the Akhil Bharatiya Andhashraddha Nirmulan Samiti (ABANS), publicly declared his support for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance during a press conference on Tuesday. He emphasised that he has no interest in seeking political power but believes the only way to safeguard the constitution is by removing the ‘illegal' govt currently ruling the state.
During his last conference, while Manav had not explicitly announced support, he did express his backing for Anil Deshmukh even before Deshmukh made any statements.He had also levelled serious allegations against deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, accusing him of making false claims against Deshmukh, which led to the verbal fight between the two.
Manav, once a strong supporter of the saffron party, was once even jailed for opposing the Emergency. However, calling the current BJP-led govt unconstitutional, Manav remarked, "In Maharashtra, those in power are literally buying people to come to power, which is sheer disrespect of democracy, and it is clearly undermining the people's right to vote in govts. This must stop."
He also criticised deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and Rajya Sabha MP Anil Bonde of Amravati for their comments about Rahul Gandhi, who they claimed had called for the abolition of reservations in a speech in the US.
Manav questioned Fadnavis and Bonde's English proficiency, remarking, "Fadnavis and Bonde should take English lessons from their childrens' school teachers."
Manav was addressing the press to announce the ‘Sanvidhan Bachao — Maharashtra Bachao' (Save Constitution - Save Maharashtra) campaign, similar to the one he led during the Lok Sabha elections. During that campaign, he had travelled across the state, visiting villages and districts to speak on the same issues. ABANS has scheduled 24 public meetings this time, 14 of which were completed by September 21, with 10 more remaining.
However, Manav praised the current govt's Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin Yojana. He said, "When the economy stagnates due to various reasons and there is a lack of employment in the region, it is the govt's responsibility to stimulate growth. The Ladki Bahin Yojana is not a waste of money, as homemakers, who are the primary beneficiaries of this scheme, will invest the funds in meaningful ways. Over time, this will create employment opportunities not only for them but for others as well."
Additionally, Manav addressed comments made a few years ago by a senior RSS functionary, who had claimed that the Indian Constitution is based on foreign values and should reflect Indian ethos. In response, Manav stated, "If equality, brotherhood, independence, and justice are considered foreign values, then I don't understand what constitutes Indian values."