Mumbai: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday slammed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) saying it does not need a certificate on Hindutva.
“We do not need to get our Hindutva certified from any party. We were, we are and we will always be Hindutvawadi. We don’t play Hindutva politics like them. Whenever the country needs us, Shiv Sena will always come forward wielding the sword of Hindutva,’’ said Raut. He was speaking after paying tribute to Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray on his eighth death anniversary on Tuesday.
Raut stepped up attack against BJP after the latter claimed the state government’s decision to reopen the temples from Monday was the victory of Hindutva. “BJP should not take credit for the victory of Hindutva as the decision to shut the religious places was taken by the Centre amid COVID-19 pandemic and these are now set to reopen in Maharashtra,’’ he noted.
Raut’s response was to the BJP's repeated claim that the Shiv Sena was diverting from the Hindutva that was championed by Bal Thackeray.
On BJP leader CT Ravi’s demand to rename the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi after Swami Vivekananda, Raut wanted to know what will happen after changing the name. ‘’Swami Vivekananda has always been a role model for us. Another big internal university can be established in the name of Swami Vivikananda,’’ he noted.
He said India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had always been the "pride of the country" and it will "not be right" to change the university's name due to hatred and political motive.
