Mumbai: Shiv Sena, it seems, is trying hard to revamp its image and political stance post fallout with the BJP. The party, which considered Hindutva to be its foundation ideology, has always been at odds with extreme Left and Muslim outfits.
But on Saturday evening, Sena spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP attended a protest meeting organised by Jamaat-e-Islami which was also backed by several Left-socialist organisations. The meeting was scheduled to be a discussion aiming to express dissent over the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
"Maharashtra has seen a conglomeration of religion and culture. The dividing forces are unaware about Maratha grit. If we can topple the BJP government in Maharashtra, we can follow the same in Centre too," said Raut.
Drawing parallels with Sena founder, late Bal Thackeray, the Sena MP stated he might be known as the 'Hindu hruday samrat' but his Hinduism is different to that what BJP believes in.
"Bala saheb is known as Hindu hruday samrat. But his ideology was that he believed everyone must be nationalist minded as we are born from the same soil," he stated.
Raut further stated that now with Bal Thackeray's son Uddhav in chief minister's seat, there's no way the administration will allow such divide culture in the state. He reminded, Maratha is the land of warriors and nobody needs to be afraid of the CAA.
Hailing Uddhav, the Sena spokesperson said when the whole country was being lull watching the police atrocities on students, he was the first person to condemn the act on the floor of the Assembly, by drawing comparison with the Jalianwala Bagh massacre.
