BJP leader Ram Kadam on Monday said that Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray should introspect whether Bal Thackeray’s ideology is being followed by Shiv Sena before lecturing the Bharatiya Janata Party on Hindutva.
Reacting to Uddhav Thackeray’s statement that the BJP has used Hindutva for power, Kadam said, “Before lecturing on Hindutva, Uddhav Thackeray should introspect whether Shiv Sena is following late Bal Thackeray’s ideology, who had said that in politics and life his party will never join Congress, and if such circumstances arise, he would prefer locking the party (office).”
Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said that the BJP is not Hindutva.”We are the ones who supported them (BJP). We had an alliance for 25 years. BJP used Hindutva for power. We left BJP but will not leave Hindutva. BJP is not Hindutva. Tactics were used against us when we challenged them,” he had said.
After the Maharashtra Chief Minister said 25 years the Shiv Sena spent with BJP as an ally were wasted, Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Railways RaosahebDanve hit back at Uddhav Thackeray saying he has no right to comment as he was not responsible for the alliance between two parties.
Danve also said had Uddhav has no right to comment on it since he is not the one who formed the alliance and “it was Bal Thackeray and Pramod Mahajan who entered into the alliance with the BJP to fight Congress”.
“Shiv Sena in Maharashtra is not known anywhere except Mumbai. Shiv Sena was only in Mumbai but by holding the hand of the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Sena reached the whole of Maharashtra; all because we had an alliance,” he further said.
“(The alliance) was the calculation of that time because unless we came together, we could not have fought Congress. At that time Udhav Thackeray was in school. He did not even understand politics then,” Danve added.
Referring to Uddhav’s Hindutva for power remark, Danve asked what exactly the BJP has done for power. “BJP did not go to other parties for power.” “If we form an alliance, then they (Shiv Sena) also did the same. They opposed the Congress and NCP throughout their life and today they joined hands with them; what did they do? If we are opportunists, what did they do for power?” he asked while also questioning Shiv Sena’s contribution to their homeland. “You (Shiv Sena) have also done it (alliance with Congress) for the pleasure of power,” he added.
Lashing out at the Maharashtra Chief Minister, Danve said that the people of the country know very well what all the BJP has done for Hindutva and who left it for power.”Talk about Dombivli and Kalyan election; Shiv Sena talked about Savarkar at that time. Is this a Hindutva party?” he questioned while adding that Uddhav is behaving in a way exactly opposite to what Balashaeb preached.