Maharashtra minister Prakash Mehta on Thursday got flak from all quarters -- ally, opposition and social media -- for clicking a selfie at the bridge that collapsed in Savitri river and later misbehaving with media
Maharashtra Housing Minister Prakash Mehta on Thursday went to inspect the the bridge that collapsed in the flood in Savitri river. But instead of the focus being on the rescue operations, he made it a media spectacle by first clicking a selfie near a the collapsed bridge and later misbehaving with media persons there.
Mehta -- the guardian minister of Raigad district -- was seen cliking a selfie while Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Opposition Leader Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil were inspecting the tragedy site on Wednesday afternoon.
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Prakash Mehta talking to media at the site
When some media persons questioned him on the matter and also the fact that he had reportedly learnt of the tragedy after nearly nine hours, Mehta lost his cool and abused the television reporter on Thursday.
The media reacted to the abuse of their compatriot by calling for Mehta's boycott.
Congress leaders like Vijay Wadettiwar and Abdul Sattar demanded his resignation for clicking a selfie when rescue operations were in full swing to locate two missing buses, other vehicles and their occupants.
Nationalist Congress Party leader Jayant Patil said that "this shows the seriousness of the government and its minister".
Even ally Shiv Sena raised eyebrows, with party legislator Neelam Gorhe urging Fadnavis to take cognisance of the matter. "It is surprising this has come from a senior minister," she told a news agency.
Irked by the minister's behaviour, several media organisations, including the Press Club of India, Mumbai Press Club, TV Journalists Association, Mantralay ani Vidhimandal Vartahar Sangh, Crime Reporters Association and others condemned him.
We condemns the act of Housing Minister Prakash Mehta of misbehaving with a TVjournalist,who was covering the Mahad tragedy@bjpprakashmehta
— Mumbai Press Club (@mumbaipressclub) August 4, 2016
At least two buses with 22 people and four to five private vehicles were washed away early on Wednesday in floodwaters after a British-era bridge collapsed on the Mumbai-Goa highway.
Twitterati too weren't silent and launched an all-out attack on him.
Here are some of the tweets:
@waglenikhil @Maharashtra1tv - Since last 45 mnts i m just listening to Prakash Mehta issue. people wanna listen abt Mahad tragedy...
— SameeRK (@sameerk412) August 4, 2016
Shame on U Prakash Mehta https://t.co/w1gM7lMcEF
— SaveAAREY My Lungs (@bankim_boss) August 4, 2016
@narendramodi @BJP4India @Dev_Fadnavis
— Nikhil Jain (@nikhiljainvashi) August 4, 2016
I'm a core BJP supporter, but what Prakash Mehta did is intolerable. I request him to be sacked!
The only time, I got a response from Prakash Mehta for my story, was when an RTI spoke about his alleged corruption. He's rude to core.
— Singh Varun (@singhvarun) August 4, 2016
#PrakashMehta being very irresponsible as a guardian minister he should be there to help and restore normalcy 1st the selfie now this #Mahad
— SJ (@jsagarshri) August 4, 2016
This is BJP's reaction to the controversy.
@harshBJYM #PrakashMehta pic.twitter.com/t41GY1OGTy
— Nikhil vyas (@Nikhilkvyas) August 4, 2016
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