Pune, Apr 14 (PTI) Maharashtra minister Chandrakant Patil on Monday said there is no reason to object to some scenes in the film “Phule”, a biopic on legendary social reformer Mahatma Phule, if a certain period of that time, which no longer exists, is shown.

He also praised Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for working towards the welfare of all communities.

Speaking to reporters, the senior BJP leader attacked Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut for “trying to paint a picture of Fadnavis vs Phule-Ambedkar (ideology)” adding that it is the latter’s “figment of imagination, which will never come true”.

“It is Fadnavis who facilitated hostel facilities, 50 per cent fees in education and several other things without any condition of reservation. So be it Marathas, OBCs or Dalits, these communities cannot go against him. Despite having several chief ministers from the Maratha community in the past, it was Fadnavis who succeeded in granting reservations to the Marathas for the first time,” he said.

Both the Maratha and OBC communities have faith in Fadnavis’ commitment to justice, Patil asserted.

“He may be a Brahmin, but labelling him as rigid and discriminatory wont be appropriate as he has already worked for the welfare of all communities. Rather, no one (from Brahmin community) is rigid or who will do injustice to others. That period has gone. If a period is shown in the movie (Phule), there is no reason to raise an objection. Take objection if someone says that Brahmins are still like that (how they are shown in the movie),” Patil said.

He also said everything was fine in the Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party.

Asserting that feuds can take place even in families, Patil said, “Here alliance partners are from different backgrounds. Ajit Pawar’s background is different, Shinde has a different background, Fadnavis has a different background. When three different people from three different backgrounds work together, some rumbling does take place.” The rumbling shows they are active and working, Patil claimed.

Hitting out at Raut for his comments on Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Raigad, Patil said, “Just because you’re not in power, and just because you’re desperate to join the Mahayuti but no one is ready to take you in, how long will you continue using this empty rhetoric?” “Every day, leaders from your party are jumping ship. Instead of focusing on the upcoming BMC elections, where you’ll have to personally knock on the doors of your workers and plead with them to contest, you’re busy attacking Amit Shah,” Patil said mocking Raut. PTI SPK BNM