Uddhav Thackeray Interview to Saamana: BJP Formed Government With Separatists And Terrorists (Watch Video)

Mumbai, February 3: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for criticising Shiv Sena's alliance with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). In his first of the three-part interview to Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana, Uddhav Thackeray said that the BJP cannot be the custodian of Hindutva, adding that "they formed government after talks with terrorists". Uddhav Thackeray Rules Out NRC in Maharashtra, Says 'Both Hindus And Muslims Will Face Difficulty in Proving Citizenship'.

Asked about BJP's allegation that the Shiv Sena gave up Hindutva to join hands with the Congress and the NCP, Thackeray said: “Have I converted to some other religion? One should not be under the impression that theirs is the final word (on Hindutva). Has it been written there in the Constitution that what they (BJP) say is Hindutva? They talk about our ideology, but let me ask, how many ideologies have come together in NDA government at the Centre?" Raj Thackeray's Hindutva Pitch Hardens Uddhav Approach, Shiv Sena Bats for Eviction of 'Muslim Infiltrators From Pakistan, Bangladesh'.

Referring to BJP's alliance with the Janata Dal (United), the Lok Janshakti Party and the People's Democratic Party (PDP), the Chief Minister asked: "Does your ideology match with that of Nitish Kumar and Ram Vilas Paswan? Did it match with Mehbooba Mufti, Chandrababu Naidu and Mamata Banerjee when they were in power with the BJP?" "They joined hands with the separatists and the government was formed after talks with terrorists," he added.

Uddhav Thackeray's Interview to Saamana:

Asserting that the tri-party alliance in Maharashtra cannot be called "immoral", the Shiv Sena chief said that the BJP inducted many Congress and NCP turncoats for political gains. "Many Congress, NCP leaders were inducted in BJP and were made MPs and MLAs. Was that based on the ideology? The leaders who had attacked Modi, were given entry into BJP and latter Modi went and campaigned for them. What type of morality is this?" he asked.

Thackeray accused the BJP of not honouring the promise made over equal sharing of the chief ministership and said that he broke tries with the saffron party to fulfil the promise he made to his father and Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray. "Did I ask for the moon and stars? I only expected the promise given to us be honoured. I had promised my father that I would install a Shiv Sainik in the chair of the chief minister and I had decided to go to any extent to fulfil it. Had they honoured the promise, I would not have been in the chair, some another Shiv Sainik would have occupied it," he said.

The Shiv Sena and BJP contested the Maharashtra assembly elections, held in October last year, together. But Uddhav Thackeray broke the alliance, alleging that the BJP had refused to share the Chief Minister's post as promised earlier. The Shiv Sena then formed the government with support from the Congress and the NCP.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 03, 2020 12:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).