Taking a dig at the opposition BJP, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday told his cabinet colleague and Health Minister Rajesh Tope that those levelling allegations against him and the state government should be given free medical treatment. He also said that giving slaps and getting slapped is part of politicians’ life and hence he gets nervous whenever anybody praises him.

Thackeray was speaking virtually at the inauguration of a new building of the Public Trust Registration office in Jalna. Tope also attended the event via video-conference.

Referring to a poem recited during the programme by someone in his praise, Thackeray quoted a dialogue from a Hindi movie – “Thappad se dar nahi lagta, pyaar se lagta hai. (Not afraid of getting slapped, but scared of being loved).”

“Giving slaps and getting slapped is life of we politicians. Hence, if anybody praises me, I get nervous. But I know that being praised by them (opponents) is different from being praised by the people who are like my family,” he added.

Lauding Tope for his work during the coronavirus pandemic, Thackeray said, “You kept visiting Covid centres and ensured supply of medicines, but the opposition is levelling allegations…Don’t pay attention to them (opponents) as they suffer from stomach ache and uneasiness. Provide free treatment to them at government hospital. It is our responsibility to treat them even if they are in opposition.”

He said he wanted to attend the inauguration of the new building in person, but he could not do so as he had undergone a cervical spine surgery a few months back and gradually recovering from it.