Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee kicked off his party’s poll campaign in Maharashtra today by unveiling a statue of the warrior king Shivaji and announcing a Rs 500-crore aid package to develop Dharavi in central Mumbai — Asia’s biggest slum. Vajpayee, who arrived on a day’s visit this afternoon, criticised the state’s decision to ban a controversial book on Shivaji, as well as the violence perpetrated by a Maratha forum. But he sought to balance it out by emphasising the NDA and Shinde government’s efforts to counter the drought in certain regions of the state. The PM chose not to comment on Bal Thackeray’s demand for a Rs 2,000-crore package to tackle the drought. A day before his arrival, the Shiv Sena chief had written a letter, asking him to release funds. Referring to the attack on the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute by those protesting against James Laine’s book on Shivaji, he said that the tendency to play with people’s emotions was dangerous. ‘‘If you do not like anything in a particular book, then sit and discuss it. Banning a book is not a solution, we have to tackle it ideologically . If differences of opinion remain after a issue is discussed, the best way would be to come out with another good book on the subject,’’ Vajpayee said, after unveiling a statue of Shivaji at Sahar International Airport. The ceremony was replete with symbolism — it was held at the very spot where the Shiv Sena and BJP had carried out an agitation in the early 90’s to demand the renaming of the airport after Shivaji. Expressing satisfaction that the Sena’s 14-year-old desire had been fulfilled, Thackeray recalled that they ‘‘.were lathi-charged and Shivaji (the bust) was put in jail but was later bailed out’’. Thackeray lauded Vajpayee’s efforts in leading the coalition government. He did not bring up the issue of drought relief. CM Sushilkumar Shinde reiterated his demand for more funds to fight drought. Referring to Vajpayee and Thackeray’s statements on the resurgence of the saffron combine, Shinde said: ‘‘There is nothing in the colour, it all depends on human nature. Even Shivaji Maharaj always emphasised on secularism’’. Vajpayee rounded off the visit with a few more social engagements, which included flagging off the Deccan Odyssey train and releasing a commemorative postage stamp of the late Nani S. Palkhivala on his 84th birth anniversary.
