While reviewing efforts on water conservation in Latur, Pankaja Munde had posted a series of selfies on Twitter.
Highlights
- She was under fire for posting selfies during tour of drought-hit Latur
- Opposition Congress and ally Shiv Sena accused Ms Munde of insensitivity
- Was only appreciating relief work done by local administration, she said
Under fire from not just the opposition but also ally Shiv Sena, the BJP's Maharashtra Minister Pankaja Munde has explained that she posted selfies on her tour of parched Latur on the weekend in appreciation of the work done there by the local administration for drought relief.
The Congress has accused Ms Munde, the state's minister for water conservation, of gross insensitivity. "BJP as a whole is a selfie and optics party, this is like making a mockery of the drought," said Congress. The party has accused the Devendra Fadnavis government of failing the state's farmers.
Manisha Kayande of the Shiv Sena, which rules Maharashtra in partnership with the BJP, said, "In such a serious situation the ministers are clicking selfies. I think they should watch their actions before doing such things. Pankaja Munde should have avoided this."
Ms Munde, 36, has tweeted,
While reviewing efforts on water conservation in Latur, one of the districts worst-affected by the drought that has ravaged Maharashra, Ms Munde had posted a series of selfies on Twitter.
She was trolled on the social media site with people accusing her of finding a photo opportunity in the middle of a massive disaster.
Ms Munde is also the guardian minister for Beed and Latur, where the state government has had to send lakhs of litres of water by train.
A second-term lawmaker and first time minister, Ms Munde is the daughter of top BJP leader Gopinath Munde who died in a road accident in Delhi in June 2014, days after he took oath as a cabinet minister at the Centre.