Raut turns poetic as heavy rains cripple Mumbai

NCP accuses the MP of mocking people

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut (L); people wade through water in a flooded area after heavy rains in Mumbai | PTI/Amey S. Mansabdar Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut (L); people wade through water in a flooded area after heavy rains in Mumbai | PTI/Amey S. Mansabdar

Senior Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut found himself at the receiving end of opposition ire after he shared a couplet about rains on Twitter even as incessant showers crippled Mumbai city leaving over 20 people dead.

Raut took to the micro-blogging site on Tuesday to tweet the lyrics which could be translated as “These raindrops must harbor some desire, otherwise who falls back to the land after ascending to the skies".

The Rajya Sabha member's poetic spirit didn't go down well with the opposition who accused him of being “insensitive” at a time several people lost their lives in rain-related incidents.

"This is utter insensitivity. It is like rubbing salt into people's wounds. They (the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena) are running away from their responsibility and ridiculing the people," said NCP chief spokesperson Nawab Malik.

Earlier, talking to ANI, Raut said there was no need to blame the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation or the Maharashtra government.

"It's not about BMC. In Pune, is there BMC? Heavy rains are responsible. In mountain areas also, when there is heavy downpour parts of hill collapses. In Mumbai too there are certain areas which can collapse due to rains. BMC has nothing to do with it. These are accidents," he said.

Incessant showers have left several parts of the city water-logged with road, rail and air traffic services thrown out of gear.

As many as 21 people died after a compound wall collapsed around 2 am in Pimpripada area of Malad.

Earlier, the Shiv Sena, which has been ruling the BMC for over two decades, was trolled on social media as the city came to a standstill after incessant rains.

Sarcastic memes were doing the round with netizens taking a dig at the party for the plight of the city.