Highlights of MNS Chief Raj Thackeray’s press conference

• The farm law that the government has passed is not wrong. There may be a few shortcomings in that, which the respective state governments, as per their specific issues should coordinate with the central governments...

...and take it further. Power should be never be vested in the hands of a few people, that is the need of the hour and the people’s wish.

• The kind of security and surveillance present for the farmer's agitation is not required. This kind of patrolling mustn’t be present even on the borders of China or Pakistan.

• The farmer's agitation is getting more and more dismal and the Prime Minister needs to pay immediate attention to it and resolve it amicably. #FarmersProtests #FarmersAreIndia

• It wasn’t right on behalf of the govt to ask Bharat Ratnas to tweet. To serve their cause, they cannot manipulate such greats, who are beyond the realm of us mortals.

@mangeshkarlata and @sachin_rt are born once and any government should respect and maintain their sanctity. They are simple at heart but their contribution and greatness is unparalleled. Keep them untouched by politics.

• One tweet from Rihanna shook this government. Who is Rihanna? Statements were given that she shouldn’t interfere in the functioning of the country. Then “Agli baar Trump Sarkar” speeches too were not justified, right?

• The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena was the first to protest against the exorbitant hike in electricity bills. In that process, cases were lodged against my Maharashtra Sainiks. We took up this matter with the state government and the Governor....

After speaking with the Mahavikas Aghadi mentor, Shri. Sharad Pawar, he asked us to submit a formal complaint letter, which we did. The very next day, Adani visited Pawarsaaheb. The end result being, the stand taken by the government was that the citizens have to pay those bills.

...The state government policy happens to be pro-energy companies. So now, why are you asking us these questions? Ask the government instead.

• During the lockdown, the electricity companies didn’t make a profit, so the citizens had to face the brunt by paying inflated bills? Why should the citizens put up with this?

• No one is working for the welfare of the citizens. All the agitations that r taking place r to checkmate each other’s parties. The BJP should question the central govt for the hike in petrol price, instead of holding agitations. It is your govt after all at the centre, right?

• When there was BJP-Shiv Sena govt at the centre, why wasn’t the name changed to ‘Sambhajinagar’. So many cities from our country were renamed, the roads of Delhi were renamed. How come then, Aurangabad wasn’t changed to Sambhajinagar? The BJP-Sena need to answer this question.

• They should have taught a lesson to Sharjeel Usmani there and there itself in Pune. I am wondering, did anyone make him give such a statement. Such is the present scenario, make someone come up with sensational statements and then weave politics around it.