News Mania Desk/Agnibeena Ghosh/4th August 2024
Uddhav Thackeray, the leader of Shiv Sena (UBT), has launched a sharp attack on Union Home Minister Amit Shah, questioning his credentials to speak on Hindutva. Thackeray accused the BJP of engaging in “power jihad” by breaking up political parties to secure power, and he claimed that the people of Maharashtra had recently taught Shah a lesson in the Lok Sabha elections.
At the “Shiv Sankalp” rally in Pune on August 3, Thackeray drew historical parallels, labeling Amit Shah as the political descendant of Ahmad Shah Abdali. Abdali, the founder of the Durrani Empire in Afghanistan, is infamous for defeating the Marathas in the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761. Thackeray’s comments were in response to Shah’s earlier statement where he called Thackeray the “head of the Aurangzeb fan club.”
Thackeray did not hold back, criticizing Shah for his past visit to Pakistan to celebrate the birthday of former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. “Those who went all the way to Pakistan to eat birthday cake with its Prime Minister should not lecture us on Hindutva,” Thackeray asserted. This reference was aimed at undermining Shah’s stance on Hindutva by questioning his actions.
The former Maharashtra Chief Minister also addressed Shah’s allegations that the Shiv Sena (UBT) had abandoned its commitment to Hindutva. Thackeray rebutted, “Why should we give up Hindutva? If Shah is going to associate me with Aurangzeb, then I will also not stop from calling him Ahmad Shah Abdali.”
Thackeray’s comments were a direct rebuttal to Shah’s previous remarks where he accused Thackeray of aligning with individuals who sought clemency for Yakub Memon, convicted for the 1993 Mumbai blasts. Shah had also criticized Thackeray for his association with the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which Shah referred to as the “Aurangzeb fan club.” Shah had further accused Thackeray of opposing the renaming of Aurangabad to Sambhaji Nagar and supporting the Popular Front of India (PFI).
In his address, Thackeray also demanded accountability from Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding the recent reports of water leakage in the new Parliament building, barely a year after its construction. He used this incident to criticize the “misrule” of Modi’s government and questioned the quality of work under the current administration.
Looking ahead to the upcoming assembly elections, Thackeray urged the people of Pune to support him for the development of the city. “I want to win the assembly election for the sake of Pune. When I was CM, I was keen on its development. I, however, couldn’t because a ‘subedar’ (referring to Ajit Pawar) was already calling the shots here. Give the reins of the state to me, I will make roads which will last 200 years,” Thackeray promised.
Thackeray also highlighted the ongoing legal battle over the Shiv Sena party name and symbol in the Supreme Court. Expressing hope for justice, he stated, “We hope to get justice at least in 50 years… We have blind trust in the apex court.”
This exchange of barbs between Thackeray and Shah highlights the intense political rivalry and the ongoing struggle for power and influence in Maharashtra politics. Thackeray’s fierce defense of his party’s Hindutva credentials and his criticism of the BJP’s tactics reflect the deep divisions and high stakes in the state’s political landscape.
