Form of words:
Mumbai: Demonstrating the work of Shiv Sena in Mumbai’s civic body, calling for the party’s role in “keeping Hindus safe” during the 1992–93 riots in the city, urging party workers not to discriminate between Marathi and non-Marathi and Hindutva Criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for “endangering Hindutva” by appealing to unite under the banner, and using a policy of “divide and rule”.
This is how Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray used his annual Dussehra rally to set the tone for his party’s campaign for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in next year’s elections, which will be his party’s stronghold. It has been around for more than decades and is where Shiv Sena draws most of its strength.
In an indirect attack on the BJP, Thackeray said, “Hindutva is under threat, not from outsiders, but from those who are the custodians of the so-called new Hindutva.
“Those who climbed the ladder of power with Hindutva are now using the British policy of divide and rule, while they sit at the top and enjoy the carrot of power,” he said. The Hindutva of Shiv Sena is “nationalist”.
During the turmoil of the 1990s when Hindutva was “really in danger”, during the 1992–93 riots, the CM said that only his father and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray “stood in the face of the enemy”.
“He received many threats, but he didn’t care. And who had so much patience? Those who say they were there during the Babri Masjid demolition were hiding in their holes,” said Uddhav Thackeray.
Referring to several investigations by central agencies against Shiv Sena leaders and their family members, Thackeray almost took a dig at the BJP, saying, “We had saved Mumbai then. Is the same Shiv Sena corrupt now? Shiv Sena was not born to help your (BJP) party. It is born to help our country, our religion.”
The Shiv Sena’s Dussehra rally has been a party tradition since 1966, and is usually held at Dadar’s Shivaji Park, a landmark in Mumbai. However, the venue was shifted to Shanmukhananda Auditorium in Sion keeping the seating arrangement and Covid-19 protocol in mind.
This year’s rally also started differently. Instead of the usual lineup of several speeches by various Shiv Sena leaders before Uddhav Thackeray’s address, the event began with a video presentation of Shiv Sena’s work in the BMC in various fields over the past five years.
Read also: ‘Many ups and downs in 2 years’: Pankaja Munde sets tone for Dussehra rally with FB message
‘Mamata and Bengal have done their duty’
Maharashtra CM praised West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, saying she and her state had “done their duty”, and if necessary, Maharashtra should also ‘be ready to show the power’Har Har Mahadevi‘ (the battle cry of the Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji) at the seat of power in Delhi.
“Are you ready like Bengal? Do not discriminate on the basis of Marathi and non-Marathi. Work towards increasing Hindutva,” Thackeray said while addressing the Shiv Sena cadre.
The Shiv Sena grew stronger in Mumbai in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, mainly on the party’s ‘son of the land’ agenda. However, there has been a major change in the demographics of Mumbai since then,’marathi manushThe issue only gets to the Shiv Sena so far, especially as the BJP is trying to grab the non-Marathi Hindutva votes, while also trying to snatch away the traditional voter base of the Shiv Sena.
In the 2017 Mumbai civic elections, the BJP won Come close To snatch the reins of BMC from Shiv Sena, Shiv Sena ended with 84 seats out of total 227 seats.
The Shiv Sena eventually consolidated its strength in the BMC to form an alliance with independents and corporators of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), run by Uddhav’s cousin Raj Thackeray. Shortcoming.
‘read and sit quietly
At Friday’s rally, Uddhav Thackeray borrowed the title of a famous column published by his father Bal Thackeray from the latter touching. column,’Vacha ani cold bus,’ (read and sit quietly) was a list of names of all non-Marathi persons who had good jobs in Mumbai, and was taken sarcastically on the issue of alleged passing of locals.
Thackeray drew on the famous line to talk about how the central government under the BJP is “favoring only those states that are with the party”, and that Maharashtra is being “maligned”.
“I am a CM. I am a Hindutvawadi. But Shiv Sainiks have equality, Hindutva upbringing. As one person in power, the whole country is mine. You cannot say that I will favor these few states as they are mine,” Thackeray said. He displayed documents which he claimed were obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, which showed that Union Minister for Ports and Shipping Sarbananda Sonowal ordered some funds to be diverted to Gujarat. were issued.
He also pointed out how Maharashtra is being tagged with frequent reports of drug seizures after 3,000 kg of heroin was seized at the Mundra port in Gujarat.
Referring to the Narcotics Control Bureau’s recent raid on an alleged rave party on a Goa-bound cruise ship, in which it arrested actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan, Thackeray said: “Mumbai police also but you’re after a pinch Hemp. Just arrest a celebrity, beat the drums, take pictures. My police is conducting raids and making seizures, but no one talks about them, because now they have become mafia according to them.”
He said: “Why are you defaming Maharashtra? Like a jilted lover throws acid on his girlfriend after rejection, because Maharashtra rejected you, you are throwing acid on her.
Complicating the Centre’s continued interference in the affairs of the state, the Maharashtra Chief Minister also called for a parliamentary discussion on the rights of states vs.
(Edited by Paramita Ghosh)
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