Nagpur: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday took a potshot at Congress leader Nana Patole over his “Cheetah” remark and said that the latter talks ignorantly for media attention, otherwise he won’t be seen altogether, media reports said.
“The State Congress President Nana Patole does not even know where the Cheetahs were brought from. He has a hobby of talking without knowledge, as he knows that it will run in the media. Otherwise, he won’t be seen altogether,” said Fadnavis while talking to media persons.
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Friday 07 Feb. 2025
Earlier on Monday, in an effort to garner praise from Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi, Nana Patole resorted to giving bizarre reasons to target the Bharatiya Janata Party, saying that the Centre “deliberately” brought “Cheetahs from Nigeria” to spread Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) to take revenge on farmers for rolling back the farm laws.
“This lumpy virus has been prevailing in Nigeria for a long time and the Cheetahs have also been brought from there. The Central Government has deliberately done this for the losses of farmers,” the Maharashtra Congress chief had said.
Nana Patole talking to a news agency on phone said, “PM has never spoken to the farmers during the black laws (farm laws) which they rolled back, and by bringing cheetahs from Namibia they are taking revenge. The lumpy virus came to India after cheetahs were brought from Namibia on PM Modi’s birthday”.
“I have not seen such disease in my 55 years and not my ancestors, it is purposely brought so that these farmers will face losses, one can make out the spot on cheetahs brought in India and the spot of lumpy on the cows are same, this disease already existed in Namibia and now it’s spreading in India,” he added.
Countering Patole, BJP Leader and Cabinet Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha said, “This is a laughable statement from Doctor Patole, he has made this disease a non-serious issue.” Mangal Prabhat Lodha also added, “if Sonia ji wants she can give her Nobel prize from Congress side.”
Notably, eight cheetahs (5 females and 3 males) were brought from Namibia as part of “Project Cheetah” as per the government’s efforts to revitalise and diversify the country’s wildlife and habitat.
