Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut slams BJP’s ‘divide and rule’ policy, warns of India becoming a ‘Hindu Pakistan’

Sanjay Raut accuses BJP of fostering communal hatred, pushing India towards a ‘Hindu Pakistan’ and distorting history, igniting fears of division.

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has launched a scathing attack on the BJP, accusing it of spreading communal hatred and pushing India towards becoming a ‘Hindu Pakistan’. Writing in the party’s mouthpiece Saamana, Raut alleged that the Modi government is fostering religious divisions that could lead to another partition of India.

Mumbai, India - March 09, 2025: shivsena UBT MP Sanjay Raut is seen addressing the workers at the ShivSena UBT in workers' rally at Kalidas Hall in Mulund Mumbai in the backdrop of the upcoming municipal elections ,in Mumbai,in Mumbai, India, on, Sunday, March -09, 2025. ( Praful Gangurde /HT Photo )

The term ‘Hindu Pakistan’, when used in reference to India, expresses the concern that the country may transform into a Hindu counterpart of Pakistan and its secular fabric will be dismantled, minorities will be relegated to second-class status, and the Constitution, which guarantees equal rights to all, will be undermined.

Raut believes today, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule, the country is heading towards a dangerous path. “Distorting the history of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and promoting absurd ideas like separate mutton shops for Hindus and Muslims are part of a larger agenda. This foolishness is driving India towards ‘Hindu Pakistan’. The Modi-Shah regime will end one day, but they will leave behind a fractured nation,” Raut wrote.

He compared the BJP’s politics to that of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, accusing its leaders of dividing the country on religious lines. He argued that the current communal atmosphere resembles pre-Partition India. “Vinayak Damodar Savarkar wrote that Hindus and Muslims are two separate nations, and Dr B R Ambedkar echoed similar concerns. However, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, ensured India did not become a ‘Hindu Pakistan’.”

Raut also criticised the contradiction between RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s statement that Hindus and Muslims share the same DNA and the actions of BJP leaders. “While Bhagwat speaks of unity, BJP leaders openly peddle hate. Maharashtra minister Nitesh Rane advocates separate mutton shops for Hindus and Muslims, while Uttar Pradesh MLA Ketaki Singh demands separate hospital wards for Muslims. Provocative slogans are raised after cricket matches, and PM Modi himself stokes fears by claiming Muslims will take away Hindu women’s mangalsutras,” he wrote. Raut alleged that Modi uses religious polarisation to deflect attention from international embarrassments, such as being insulted by former US President Donald Trump.

Addressing historical distortions, Raut condemned BJP leaders for falsely claiming there were no Muslims in Shivaji Maharaj’s army. “Siddi Sambal served in the Maratha navy, Madari Mehtar helped Shivaji escape Aurangzeb’s captivity, and Ibrahim Khan managed his armoury. Some now seek to destroy Aurangzeb’s grave, but in doing so, they are creating new ‘Hindu Aurangzebs’ who could be more dangerous than the one in the grave.”

Reacting to Raut’s article, BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar dismissed his claims, accusing Shiv Sena (UBT) of abandoning Hindutva in favour of “fake secularism”. “India remains secular because of its Hindu majority. Shiv Sena (UBT) has surrendered to Congress and forgotten the Hindutva espoused by Balasaheb Thackeray in the 1990s,” he said.