Mumbai: Accusing the BJP of indulging ‘satta-jihad’, Shiv Sena (UBT) head and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for calling him ‘nakli-santan’ and described Union Home Minister Amit Shah as ‘political heir’ of Ahmed Shah Abdali.
Sounding the bugle for the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly polls, Thackeray, the son of late Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray, said that the BJP had betrayed it when they were in alliance.
Thackeray, who is an important leader of the Congress-led I.N.D.I.A. opposition bloc, also hit out at Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the two Deputy Chief Ministers - Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP and Ajit Pawar, who is the NCP President.
“As I said the other day….’either you remain or us’…yes…I mean it…but what us and you means have to be understood….us are the civilised Maharashtra while you is a party of thieves and dacoits,” Thackeray said amid thunderous applause at a meeting of party leaders and workers in Pune on Saturday.
Setting the tone, Thackeray’s aide and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut said, “We were described as members of Aurangzeb Fan Club (by Shah)…no, we are members of Shivaji Maharaj Fan Club…Aurangzeb was born in Gujarat….Shivaji Maharaj was born in Maharashtra….Aurangzeb spoke in Gujarati and Urdu…Shivaji Maharaj spoke Marathi language.”
Taking over Thackeray, said that the people who went to Pakistan and ate the birthday cake of Nawaz Sharif are trying to teach Hindutva to his party. “You accused us of leaving Hindutva….no…we left the BJP because they betrayed us,” he said, reasoning about his alliance with the Congress and its allies.
“You (Modi) call me ‘nakli-santan’ (fake son)…are you not ashamed of saying that,” he said.
“You (Shah) call us members of Aurangzeb Fan Club ...you are the political heir of Ahmed Shah Abdali ....yes, from now on we will refer to you as Abdali...Ahmed Shah Abdali...the political heir of Ahmed Shah Abdali,” said Thackeray.
Ahmed Shah Abdali (also known as Ahmed Shah Durrani), often regarded as the founder of modern Afghanistan, invaded the Indian subcontinent eight times between 1748 and 1767 after the collapse of the Mughal Empire. The Third Battle of Panipat took place between the Maratha Confedecary and the invading army of the Durranis.
Hitting out at the BJP and its alleged misuse of central agencies, Thackeray said, “Now there is a word called ‘love-jihad’…it is you who are indulging in ‘satta-jihad’ for remaining in power’.
Thackeray said that Shah keeps coming to Maharashtra again and again like Ahmad Shah Abdali, however, “we will build the BJP’s political tomb” here, like the grave of Aurangzeb.
“Shaista Khan left then and never came back… If some people had taken that wisdom, they would not come back repeatedly to get blows from the people of Maharashtra, as in the Lok Sabha elections,” Thackeray said referring to the Mughal general who lost three fingers during an encounter with Shivaji Maharaj.
“The BJP doesn’t like RSS anymore? Before the Lok Sabha elections, top BJP leaders had said this,” he said referring to statements of BJP President JP Nadda.
Thackeray frustrated: BJP
Amid the broadside on the BJP leadership, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and State President Chandrashekhar Bawankule said that it shows the frustration of Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray. “The statements arise from his frustrations and disappointment over losing power,” added Bawankule.
"I don’t want to comment but what he is saying, the language that he is using shows his frustration. Amit Shah had spoken about the Aurangzeb fan club. Uddhav Thackeray today proved that he is indeed from the Aurangzeb fan club," Fadnavis told reporters.
(With inputs from PTI)