Senior leader Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday sparked outrage by accusing the BJP of indulging in “power jihad”. He also accused the Eknath Shinde-led ruling government of bribing voters. Revdis Or free gifts. The comment drew a sharp reaction from the BJP, with politicians claiming that the former Maharashtra chief minister has “lost his mental balance”.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “Uddhav Thackeray is a frustrated person and this frustration has affected his mind badly. After today’s speech, he has shown that he is actually a member of the Aurangzeb fan club.”
State minister Girish Mahajan said, “I think Uddhav Thackeray has lost his mental balance. He had earlier made wrong comments on PM Modi, Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis. Today he made wrong comments about India’s Home Minister Amit Shah… Elections are far away, I don’t know what kind of wrong comments he will make till then.”
Thackeray on Saturday had attacked Amit Shah, calling him the political descendant of Ahmed Shah Abdali – the Afghan king who defeated the Marathas in the Third Battle of Panipat.
“If Muslims are with us and we have explained our Hindutva to them, then we (according to the BJP) are Aurangzeb fan club. So what you are doing is power jihad,” Thackeray asserted during the Shiv Sankalp rally in Pune on Saturday.
The home minister had earlier dubbed Thackeray as the “head of Aurangzeb fan club” and criticised him for sitting with those seeking apology for 1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict Yakub Memon.
Shah had said last month, “Maha Vikas Aghadi is Aurangzeb fan club. This Aurangzeb fan club cannot ensure the security of India. Uddhav Thackeray is the leader of this Aurangzeb fan club. This fan club cannot make Maharashtra and India safe. Only BJP can ensure the safety of everyone. Uddhav Thackeray eats with people associated with Kasab, he supports PFI and is against renaming Aurangabad as Sambhaji Nagar.”
(with inputs from agencies)
