Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray
Credit: PTI Photo
Mumbai: Disclosures related to the electoral bonds scheme have exposed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which routinely accuses the Congress of looting the country, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray has said.
The BJP got Rs 8,000 crore in electoral bonds and if one compares it with the amount received by the Congress, it would be clear who has been carrying out loot, Thackeray claimed at a gathering of party workers in Colaba area of south Mumbai on Friday.
"Disclosures linked to the electoral bonds scheme have exposed the BJP, which routinely accuses the Congress of looting the country. Will you give this country in the hands of looters? The BJP wants another five-year term (at the Centre) to loot the country while showing you (citizens) dreams of 'Viksit Bharat' (developed India)...," he said.
Just as leaders of his party were being pressured by probe agencies, like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), corporates were also threatened into making large donations to the BJP, the former chief minister of Maharashtra alleged.
Top companies got contracts in different parts of the country and were forced to donate to the BJP in the form of electoral bonds, he claimed.
In its landmark verdict on February 15, the Supreme Court scrapped the Centre's electoral bonds scheme that allowed anonymous political funding, calling it 'unconstitutional'.
The apex court on Friday said the State Bank of India (SBI) must provide the number unique to each electoral bond that would disclose the link between the buyer and the recipient political party.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government under him was toppled because the BJP couldn't loot Maharashtra when he was at the helm, Thackeray claimed.
"I am not against Gujarat but Prime Minister Narendra Modi is pitting that state against the rest of the country. Projects coming to Maharashtra are being taken to Gujarat," he further alleged.
Thackeray said he had travelled on the newly-opened coastal road (first phase from Worli to Marine Drive) and was proud it was a dream envisaged by him and built by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) (which was previously ruled by the undivided Shiv Sena).
Targeting assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar, who is likely to be the ruling alliance Mahayuti's candidate against sitting Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant, as well as Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Thackeray said a 'traitor will help traitors'.
"The person who is likely to contest from here (South Mumbai Lok Sabha seat) has travelled from Shiv Sena to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to BJP. When he comes asking for votes, you must show him the strength of the Shiv Sena (UBT)," Thackeray told the crowd.