Thane: “Those who are high on power bulldozed the shakha (local-level office). I have come here to show you the bulldozer. Our posters were torn. We will tear your arrogance into pieces in the polls,” former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said on Saturday in an attack on the Shiv Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, without naming anyone.
Thackeray made the statement in Mumbra, where he had gone to visit the site where a shakha of the Shiv Sena (UBT) was razed on November 2. The former Chief Minister was, however, prevented from going to the site of the branch office reportedly for security reasons, according to police.
Shinde Faction Supporters Chanted Slogans Against Uddhav
Police had a tough time keeping the warring factions at bay, even as supporters of the Shinde faction chanted “Chale jao, Chale jao” and waved black flags at Thackeray, who beat a hasty retreat despite being accompanied by a large number of supporters.
“The entire Maharashtra is seeing that the administration has become desperate. If something had happened here today, Maharashtra would have lost its glory. Those who enjoy the seat of power have already disgraced Maharashtra,” Thackeray later said at a public meeting.
“The government has demolished our branch. Our place has been encroached upon,” Thackeray claimed. Those in power will be taught a lesson and the people will not tolerate such brazen display of power by the Chief Minister, the UBT leader said.
Mumbra is a Muslim dominated area in Thane, which is the stronghold of Shinde, and he allegedly asked the local administration to demolish the shakha as it was unauthorised.
Uddhav Slams Shinde Sena
“Are we allowed to hand the future of our children to thieves?” he asked the people of Mumbra and also criticized the MPs of the Shinde group without naming them.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader also cautioned the administration and police. “You are not slaves of the thieves. You have protected the thieves, but the thieves have disturbed the honeycomb. Now the honeybees will sting you,” he said. Thackeray also said that those “whom we sent to the Assembly are with us”, adding “I have entered the field to fight.”
