MAHARASHTRA: Elaborating on the difference between the Hindutva of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena (UBT), Maharashtra former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday asserted that their brand of Hindutva "lights the stoves" in people's homes and the BJP's Hindutva "burns their homes."
"There is a vast difference between the Hindutva of the BJP and ours. Our Hindutva lights stoves in houses, but the BJP's Hindutva burns houses," Uddhav said on Friday while addressing a gathering in Maharashtra.
He further alleged that the Prime Minister was exerting pressure on the judiciary while appealing to the Supreme Court to ensure "legal equality" for everyone.
"The Modi government had also used the Election Commission of India against his party. "Our bow and arrow were snatched away. You (PM Modi) took away my party, my symbol, and my men, but you still fear Uddhav Thackeray?" he said.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief talked about the government report claiming the Muslim population had increased in the country.
"Narendra Modi has been the Prime Minister of this country for the past decade, he should clarify if this increase in the Muslim population is his achievement or failure. We are all confused if we should appreciate or criticise him for the increase in Muslim population in the country in the past 10 years," he added.
Uddhav claimed that the BJP government has snatched all the powers from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
"Kejriwal got bail, everyone knows, the Modi government snatched all the powers of Kejriwal. Modi ji's drama will go on till 4th June. After June 4, he will not be known as Prime Minister Narendra Modi but just Narendra Modi," he said.
Earlier on April 29, the Prime Minister took a veiled dig at Nationalist Congress Party (SCP) chief Sharad Pawar saying that Maharashtra has been a victim of a "Bhatakti Atma" for a long time which has led to political uncertainty in the state as well as created a split in his party and his own family.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief responded to PM Narendra Modi's accusations that Congress has received "tempo loads of black money" from Adani-Ambani and asked why the BJP government did not hold a probe into whether businessmen Adani and Ambani sent black money to his party.
"You say whatever comes to your mind, 'you said that why Rahul Gandhi stopped speaking against Adani and Ambani because he collected a tempo-full of money'. Modi ji, you are the Prime Minister. What were your ED, income tax department and CBI doing when tempos stashed with cash were moving? Were they busy with the traitors? If PM Modi had the input about it, the agencies should have acted on it. The PM should have acted on the black money, which he claims has gone from Ambani and Adani to Congress," he said.
On Section 370, Uddhav said it was not scrapped by the BJP government, but it has been put on hold to allow [Businessman Gautam] Adani to purchase large tracts of land consisting of unexplored lithium and make money before taking the business to Gujarat.
Thackeray also questioned the lathi charge, firing off bullets and pellets on reservation activist Manoj Jarange and the villagers, while alleging that "a phone call from the top made the police to commit all the excesses."
He further urged the Prime Minister to stay calm and asked him to stop politics in the name of Hindus and Muslims.
"Prime Minister, the kind of language you are using does not suit the post of Prime Minister; the name of your country is getting spoiled all over the country. PM Modi, please stay calm. Take Patanjali oil on your head from Baba Ramdev and do Kapal Bharti. Take rest. Just don't do the work of spoiling my country now. Every time they (the BJP) just talk about Hindus and Muslims, it is not acceptable to give the command of the country to such people," he said.
The voting for the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections will take place on May 13. The counting of votes will take place on June 4.
