MUMBAI: Shiv Sena and BJP are at loggerheads over Hindutva ideology. Both claim that their ideology is pure and hardcore.
Replying to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s criticism, former CM Devendra Fadnavis of BJP on Monday said his party was at the forefront of the Ram temple construction and Babri mosque demolition movement.
He added that Sena was nowhere in the picture back then.
Leader of Opposition Fadnavis said the alliance between Sena and BJP was formed by the late Balasaheb Thackeray.
“By saying that Sena wasted its 25 years with BJP, Thackeray wants to say that Balasaheb made the mistake of allying with BJP. As long as Balasaheb was there, he never spoke against the Sena-BJP alliance. He wanted it so that Hindus of this country could be united. But Sena forgot all this and joined hands with Congress,” Fadnavis said.
Maharashtra CM Thackeray had criticised BJP, saying that their 25-year alliance with them was a waste of time.
He said BJP was about to finish them politically and that is why Sena joined hands with Congress and NCP.
“Had Sena fought elections during Babri demolition, today we would have had a PM in Delhi. But we made a sacrifice for BJP. It was decided that BJP would play the main role in Delhi and Sena in the state. But BJP violated the norm and tried to finish Sena,” Thackeray said.
Fadnavis added that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi never tweeted anything on the eve of Balasaheb’s birth anniversary.
“If Sena has a real alliance with Congress, then ask Congress to do this.”
Ally NCP on Monday said everyone should be proud of the religion they profess, but it is wrong to spread hatred in its name and the Shiv Sena president has given the same message.
In his address to Shiv Sainiks on Sunday, which was also the birth anniversary of his father and party founder Bal Thackeray, the chief minister said the Sena has left the BJP and not Hindutva.
The CM had also said, "I believe that BJP's opportunistic Hindutva is only for power. The Shiv Sena had aligned with the BJP as it wanted power for Hindutva. The Sena never used Hindutva for the sake of power."
Reacting to the comments, state minister and NCP's chief spokesperson Nawab Malik said, "Everyone should be proud of their religion, but it is harmful if there is hatred against others."
"The Shiv Sena is trying to say the same thing that one must be proud of their religion and propagate it, but it is wrong to spread hatred against others. We think Uddhav Thackeray ji has said the same thing," said Malik, whose party shares power with the Shiv Sena and the Congress in Maharashtra.
Hitting out at the Election Commission (EC), Malik said seeking votes in the name of religion is a violation of the model code of conduct.
"But, since the last seven to eight years, the EC has been mum when votes are being canvassed in the name of religion. This is the helplessness of the Election Commission. We feel the poll body should think about it or else it will lose its credibility," he said.
Five states - Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur - are going to polls in February-March.
Malik claimed that with help from Delhi, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis tried to "destroy" the Shiv Sena in the state, but he now knows the strength of the Uddhav Thackeray-led party.
Earlier in the day, the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Fadnavis hit back at Thackeray for his comments that Sena's 25 years in alliance with the BJP was a waste.
Malik said in five years when the BJP was with the Sena (in Fadnavis government - 2014-19), the latter suffered.
(With PTI Inputs)