Maharashtra minister draws criticism for clicking 'insensitive' selfie in drought-hit Latur
Pankaja Munde, the state's guardian minister for Latur and Beed districts, took selfies with the dried up Manjara riverbed as the backdrop.
Pankaja Munde, Maharashtra's guardian minister for Latur and Beed districts and also its water conservation minister, is facing flak for taking selfies while surveying drought-hit Latur. On Sunday, Munde visited Sia village to review the government's desilting work at the Manjara riverbed, which is completely dry. While there, she took selfies with the riverbed as the backdrop.
Reacting to her photographs, Maharashtra Congress said Munde “epitomises insensitivity” and said “such behaviour” was an inherent quality of the Bharatiya Janata Party. The Shiv Sena, too, criticised Munde's “unfortunate” act, saying it was “making a mockery of the drought”.
Munde, who serves as the Union Minister of Rural Development, Women and Child Welfare, went on to share a few other tweets on the work being carried out in the parched district, saying river rejuvenation work was on in full swing in Latur. Later, she seemingly tried to divert attention from the criticism, saying she was entirely focused on relief work.