Former Maharashtra chief minister and Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Tackeray on Wednesday called the rebel Eknath Shinde camp “traitors”, saying the “stain on them will remain forever”. Addressing a gathering at Mumbai's Shivaji Park on the occasion of Dussehra, Thackeray said that we burn Ravan on Dussehra every year but this year “Ravan is different”, in a veiled attack at Shinde camp which formed the government in Maharashtra with the help of the BJP.
“They are traitors and will remain so. I will keep saying them as traitors,” Thakeray said. “This stain on them will remain forever.”
“As per our yearly tradition, there will be a 'Ravan Dahan' ceremony, but the Ravan of this year is different. With time, Ravan also changes... He used to be 10-headed till now...how many heads does he have now?" Thackeray asked the huge gathering.
He also compared the rebel Shiv Sena leaders with ‘Katappa’, a famous character from SS Rajamouli's film Bahubali.
“The only thing I feel bad and angry about is that when I was admitted to the hospital, the people whom I gave the responsibility (of the state) became 'Katappa' and betrayed us,” he added.
Thackeray reiterated that the arrangement with Union home minister Amit Shah was for sharing the power for two and a half year each. He said that he formed the Maha Vikas Aghadi government to "teach a lesson to BJP who betrayed us."
“They promised to share CM post for two and half years and I'm saying this swearing on my father and mother,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“They promised to share CM post for two and half years and I'm saying this swearing on my father and mother,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Targeting Shinde over his frequent visits to Delhi, Thackeray said that the chief minister has spent 90 of his 100 days in office in the national capital.
Thackeray also congratulates RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale for "showing mirror" to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and BJP on issues like poverty.
On Sunday, Hosabale expressed concern over alleged rising income inequality and unemployment in the country, asserting that poverty is posing as a "demon-like challenge in front of us".
"...We should be sad that 20 crore people are below poverty line. And 23 crore people are earning less than ₹375 per day. Poverty is a demon-like challenge in front of us. It is important that we put to death this demon," he had said, while speaking at a webinar organised by Sangh affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM).