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Uddhav Thackeray uses 'Pushpa' dialogue to tear into Eknath Shinde over ‘Jai Gujarat’ slogan
Uddhav Thackeray criticised Eknath Shinde's 'Jai Gujarat' slogan during a rally with Raj Thackeray, labelling him a 'gaddar' and questioning his loyalty.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday took a jibe at Maharashtra deputy CM Eknath Shinde's "Jai Gujarat" slogan, with a dialogue from the "Pushpa" movie.
At a joint ‘victory rally’ with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, Uddhav called Shinde “gaddar”.
“Gaddar said ‘Jai Gujarat’ like the actor in the movie Pushpa who says ”jhukega nahi s**la". But this gaddar follows “uthega nahi s**la"," Uddhav said.
He further said Shinde had raised the slogan to “please” his “boss”. “He doesn't have his own thoughts….Is this how he shows respect for Marathi?” Uddhav questioned.
Uddhav was sharing stage with Raj Thackeray after nearly two decades, after the cousins joined hands in their protest against the Maharashtra government's three-language formula.
The joint rally, called ‘Marathicha Awaaz’, was organised to celebrate their “victory” after the state government's decision to roll back the three-language formula making Hindi a mandatory third language in Classes 1 to 5 in Marathi- and English-medium schools.
Shinde's ‘Jai Gujarat’ slogan at Pune rally kicks off political storm
Shinde on Friday raised the ‘Jai Gujarat’ slogan while concluding his speech at the inauguration of the ‘Jairaj Sports and Convention Centre’ in Pune's Kondhwa area. Union home minister Amit Shah was also present at the event.
Shinde first raised the slogan ‘Jai Hind, Jai Maharashtra’, took a brief pause, and then added ‘Jai Gujarat’ at the end of his address.
Reacting to the slogan, Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said that it was “not surprising”. “Shinde’s Sena was born in Gujarat with Shah’s blessings,” he added.
In a post on X, Raut called the Shinde-led Shiv Sena “Shah Sena”, questioning his place in the Maharashtra cabinet.
“In Pune, this man (Eknath Shinde) gave the slogan ‘Jai Gujarat’! What to do? How can this man remain in the Maharashtra cabinet,” Raut said.
However, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis came to Shinde's defence, clarifying that the latter was speaking among the Gujarati community. He added that if someone was questioning Shinde's love for Maharashtra because of the slogan, “then the person is thinking very narrowly”.
Citing Sharad Pawar's example, Fadnavis said that the NCP (SP) chief had raised the slogan of ‘Jai Maharashtra, Jai Karnataka’ when the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was unveiled.
“Does this mean that Sharad Pawar loves Karnataka more than Maharashtra? Wherever we go, we say what the people there like. All leaders say the same,” Fadnavis said.
He further asserted that there was “no need to create ruckus” on the matter, while asserting, "We are all Indians”.
