Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut wrote to United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres Tuesday demanding June 20 be declared 'World Traitors Day' since it was on this day last year that around 40 lawmakers – in a political coup widely seen as being backed and funded by the Bharatiya Janata Party – brought down Maharashtra's ruling Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress government.
Over the course of a dramatic 10 days, which included the rebel MLAs camping out in a luxury hotel in BJP-ruled Assam, the 40 politicians split from the (then unified) Sena, allied with rebel leader Eknath Shinde and forced then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to quit. Shinde was then installed as the new chief minister and the BJP's Devendra Fadnavis, chief minister in the previous government and expected to return, was persuaded to become his deputy.
Claiming the BJP paid each rebel ₹50 crore, Raut wrote, "… I am appealing to you to make June 20 as World Traitors Day just as June 21 is observed as World Yoga Day. This must be done so (the) world remembers traitors."
"On June 20, a huge group of 40 legislators from our Shiv Sena left us after being instigated by the Bharatiya Janata Party. Each of them is said to have taken ₹50 crores to defect. The BJP used all their might to ensure that (the) Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra fell."
{{/usCountry}}"On June 20, a huge group of 40 legislators from our Shiv Sena left us after being instigated by the Bharatiya Janata Party. Each of them is said to have taken ₹50 crores to defect. The BJP used all their might to ensure that (the) Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra fell."
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"The 40 MLAs who stabbed us were led by a leading legislator Mr Eknath Shinde (who is now the CM of Maharashtra) … with them 10 more independent (MLAs) supporting (the) MVA government (also) left us," Raut wrote.
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Raut also rips into the rebels for having 'deserted… Thackeray, who was an ailing man and underwent two surgeries… each took advantage of his illness'.
'PM promoting traitorship…'
Speaking to reporters earlier today, Raut also criticised Modi, union home minister Amit Shah and the central government of 'promoting' traitors.
"Our PM, home minister and central government are promoting traitorship. On this day 40 of our MLAs left the party. It should be declared as 'International Traitor Day'. PM is going to the United States… so he should tell United Nations and announce 'International Traitor Day'" Raut was quoted by news agency ANI.
BJP's response
Maharashtra BJP MLA Nitesh Rane attacked Thackeray in response, declaring 'there is no bigger traitor' than the former chief minister.
"Uddhav Thackeray celebrates his birthday on July 27. There is no bigger traitor than him… betrayed his father's ideology, betrayed Hindutva, betrayed Marathis, Devendra Fadnavis and BJP," he tweeted.
"That is why, July 27 should be declared 'International Traitors Day'. I hope the United Nations will take my request under consideration…"
PM Modi's big US trip
The letter was tweeted by Raut shortly after prime minister Narendra Modi left for his five-day State visit to the United States and Egypt. The landmark visit by Modi will include a formal dinner hosted by US president Joe Biden.
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Modi's trip has been billed a turning point for India-US ties, with deeper defence cooperation and improved trade ties the focus of talks with president Joe Biden. One of the highlights is a defence deal - the purchase of 31 armed, high altitude, long endurance MQ-9B Sea and Sky Guardian drones - that gives India access to advanced technologies the US rarely shares with non-allies.
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