The photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi are plastered on dustbins in some Arab countries, and India has been humiliated by the Bhartiya Janata Party’s ‘tinpot spokespersons’, said Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray here on Wednesday.
Taking strong offense at the discomfiture to the Indian Prime Minister, Thackeray said the BJP and its spokesmen brought disgrace to the country while purporting to represent India.
Thackeray shouted, “Why did they need to make such crude remarks about the Prophet Mohammed? Our gods are dear to us, and their gods are also revered by them. Why show hatred toward any other religion? India is now facing protests in all Muslim countries, and the PM’s picture is stuck on garbage cans to bring shame to the country,” he said.
In response to the Opposition BJP’s criticism of Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress’ Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, Thackeray said it was unfortunate.
“Those whom we trusted and made them sit in our laps for 25-30 years are now our enemies.. Those against whom we fought for so many years are today our friends, they respect us and have joined hands strongly for the state’s progress,” Thackeray said, indirectly expressing his gratitude to the MVA allies.
At a mammoth rally in this tourist hub, he rebuffed the BJP’s questions on his ‘Hindutva’ credentials, asking “who are they to question our Hindutva credentials?”
Thackeray shot back, “Our Hindutva does not teach hatred for any religion… It is like Ram in the heart and work in the hands. Don’t teach us Hindutva.”
In response to the recent ‘Jan Aakrosh rally’ held by the BJP in Aurangabad to highlight the water problems in the Marathwada hub, Thackeray stated that “angst was not for water” but for losing power and aimed at him.
The MVA government had been given deadlines after deadlines to collapse, but it has not happened, nor will it happen. That ‘aakrosh’ (angry) is directed against me and my government that is succeeding on the road of development,” Thackeray said.
Due to this frustration over losing power in 2019, the center is targeting MVA leaders with central agencies like the ED or CBI, and dared the BJP to deploy these investigative arms in Jammu & Kashmir, where Kashmiri Pandits were forced to leave home once again.
Those wishing to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside his home were encouraged to chant the Hindu prayers in Kashmir.
On the much-anticipated issue of rechristening Aurangabad as ‘Sambhajinagar’, Thackeray said it was his father – the late Balasaheb Thackeray who had made the promise, and he promised to keep it soon.
We are committed to changing the name of Aurangabad to Sambhajinagar, but that won’t fix the water problems or the bad roads. Thackeray assured that the city’s name would be changed as soon as it suited the city.
The Chief Minister touched on a variety of other issues including pooh-poohing the claims by Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis that he was present during the razing of the Babri Mosque when no Shiv Sainiks were present, on the need for all to keep their religious beliefs within their homes and not insulting other religions, the fast paced development and huge investments the state is attracting from India and abroad, which is giving sleepless nights to the BJP.
