Mumbai: The spat between Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray and Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis over the latter dubbing the opposition meet on Friday as show of "dynastic politics", took an ugly turn on Saturday where both the leaders dared each other to involve family-members of the opponent.
While replying to criticism for sitting next to People's Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti at the meeting in Patna, Thackeray said he did so purposely and also waved photos of her with top BJP leaders. "Those who align with you are clean. You (BJP) left Hindutva when you went with Mehbooba. We will tear the burqa of your fake Hindutva," Thackeray said.
He also waved pictures of Mufti with BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, asserting that his party has not abandoned Hindutva. Thackeray also claimed Mufti told him that the BJP's alliance with the PDP was on the condition that Article 370, which provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir, won't be abolished. He slammed Fadnavis for dubbing Patna meet as an attempt by the parties "to save their political families and dynasties" and said the senior BJP leader should not stoop so low.
Thackeray continued his attack on Fadnavis
Continuing his attack on Fadnavis, Thackeray referred to Whatsapp chat of Amrita Fadnavis and said, "I am very sensitive about my family. Do not stoop so low. You also have a family and WhatsApp chats about your family are out. We have not started talking about it because if his (Fadnavis) family has to be talked about, then he has to do 'shavasana' (corpse pose in yoga)." Amruta Fadnavis' whatsapp chat with suspected bookie Anil Jaisinghani and his daughter Aniksha are part of the chargesheet against Jaisinghani, Aniksha and his cousin Nirmal in a case related to extort money from Amruta Fadnavis.
Hitting back at Thackeray, Fadnavis said he, his family and the BJP are like an open book. He said the chats are in the chargesheet with a purpose. Replying Thackeray through a tweet, Fadnavis wrote, "Whatever you spoke about is part of the court record. We don't fear because we don't have to hide anything. I'm only surprised to see that a person who had been a Chief Minister is so kiddish in his speech." Continuing his attack, Fadnavis tweeted, "If Thackeray should be worrying about anything, it should have been about how he ditched common party workers for the post of Chief Minister; it should be on how Mumbai was looted; on who looted the Marathi manoos; how targets of ₹100 crore extortion were given." Fadnavis also said that Thackeray's Hindutva and misdeeds would continue to be exposed. "We don't enter anyone's house. But, if someone compels us to do so, they won't be left with place to hide their faces," Fadnavis added.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde too targeted Thackeray. Shinde said the revolt by Shiv Sena MLAs against Thackeray stands vindicated after the Patna meet. The rebellion, spearheaded by Shinde, toppled the Thackeray-led three-party Maha Vikas Aghadi government of Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP last year.
Eknath Shinde accuses Thackeray of abandoning Hindutva
Accusing Thackeray of abandoning Hindutva, Shinde said he sat in the league of Congress, Rashtriya Janta Dal, PDP, and Janata Dal (United) that were bitterly criticized by Sena founder Bal Thackeray. The same people opposed the construction of Ayodhya Ram temple, abrogation of Article 370 and Hindutva, he said. The Opposition parties coming together is a victory of PM Modi's leadership, Shinde added.
