E-Paper
Uddhav Thackeray's attack on BJP: 'You want my father, but not his son?'
"I didn't go to the Congress. BJP pushed me. In 2014, I did not break the alliance, the BJP did. I was a Hindu then. I am a Hindu now," Uddhav Thackeray said.
Maharashtra former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray at an event on Sunday said he is a Hindu and a Hindutva leader but Hindutva and the BJP are not synonymous. "I still call myself Hindutvawadi. I have not left Hindutve and will never leave. I left the BJP. And bjp is not Hindutva. I don't endorse their Hindutva, I am saying it clearly," Uddhav said two days after he lost his bow and arrow election symbol to Eknath Shinde and his group of MLAs who are now the official Shiv Sena. Read | 'Who used to roar based on lies...': Amit Shah's jibe at Uddhav Thackeray
"My father taught me Hindutva. BJP's Hindutva is different. It's all about making people fight with others and take power. Our Hindutva is linked with the country," Uddhav said. Without naming Amit Shah, Uddhav Thackeray said today's Mogambo khush hua (Mogambo is happy).
Amitji said 'okay'; I gave my words to my father
Taking a swipe at Amit Shah, Uddhav said, "This is true and I swear on my mother and father that Amit Shah gave me a word. I demanded that because I had given a word to my father on his last day that I will make sure that a Shivsainik sits on the CM's chair. Amitji said 'okay'. And after that 'okay', you can all see what happened."
"Yes, we used Modiji's photo on the poster because we had an alliance then -- they also used Balasaheb's photo. There must have been a time when people used to go to Modiji's rallies wearing Modiji's masks. But today Modiji has to wear Balasaheb's mask," Uddhav said.
"If I go with the Congress, I become a deserter of Hindutva? Yesterday, Mgambo said I licked the foot of the Congress for the CM chair. And now what they did, I want to ask who is licking what part of whom," Uddhav added. “What did you leave when you were sitting with Mehbooba Mufti? Congress at least did not ask for martyrdom for terrorists. You remained Hindu, no?” Uddhav said.
Calling out the election commission, Uddhav said, "This should be an eye-opener for all parties. What happened to us can happen to you tomorrow. What wrong did I do? You want my father but not his son who was ready to go with you? What I wanted from you was just because of the word I gave my father. What should I do to them who sabotages my promise to my father, whom you consider your leader?"
'My father told me: Uddhav tu jaise hai...'
Uddhav said he expected that the election commission verdict would be something like what happened with the Congress -- the symbol will be frozen. "I don't have a problem. I will go to the people with my name-- Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray. My father always told me, 'Uddhav tu jaisa hai, waise logo ke saamne ja',"
