Eknath Shinde hits Uddhav Thackeray over Ram Raksha, says UBT Sena dumped Hindutva
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday attacked Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, saying those who had made disparaging remarks about Ram devotees
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday attacked Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, saying those who had made disparaging remarks about Ram devotees and joined hands with the Congress were now speaking about Lord Ram and Hindutva. Shinde's remarks came after Thackeray launched a 'Ram Raksha' agitation over the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ayodhya Ram temple. Earlier in the day, Thackeray offered prayers and performed aarti at a Ram temple in Nagpur before addressing a gathering where he targeted the BJP and Shinde. Read Full Story Shinde said the Sena (UBT)'s allies had repeatedly opposed Hindutva, V D Savarkar and the ideology of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray.
By joining hands with such parties, the Sena (UBT) had already abandoned the path of Hindutva, he said. Shinde added that if the Sena (UBT) was genuinely committed to organising a Ram Raksha agitation, it should first invite alliance partners such as Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, and only after that extend invitations to the RSS chief and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Referring to Bal Thackeray's slogan, Shinde said he had always proclaimed, "Say with pride, we are Hindus" and "garv se kaho hum Hindu hain". "After all these years, the Sena (UBT) faction has suddenly remembered this slogan.
Hindutva is not something that can be discarded when convenient and embraced again whenever it suits one's political interests. Therefore, before speaking about the 'Ram Raksha', they should first protect their own party and safeguard their ideology," he said. Shinde also said that Lord Ram accepted 14 years of exile to fulfil his father's promise. "However, those who abandoned their own father's ideals and principles midway have no moral authority to preach the ideals of Lord Ram," he said. He claimed that the 'Ram Raksha' agitation was not an effort to "protect Lord Ram, but an attempt to protect their own political party".
In Nagpur earlier in the day, Thackeray targeted the BJP over the Ayodhya issue, saying the shrine had already been built and it was now time to launch a new movement to protect it. He also attacked Fadnavis, asking him to clarify whether he backed temple "looters" or those who "protect" Ram. The exchange came as Thackeray's Ram Raksha agitation and Shinde's criticism turned the focus on Hindutva, Ayodhya and the Shiv Sena's political positions. Ends
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