“Modi Will Soon Start A Tour To Other Planets”: Uddhav Thackeray

Mumbai, Jun 19

Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray today took a fresh swipe at ally BJP, saying it came to power at the Centre by “spreading lies”.

Addressing Sena workers at the 52nd foundation day of the party in suburban Goregaon, Thackeray said the BJP spread “lies” ahead of the 2014 general elections and made false promises to people to win the mandate.

Shiv Sena runs the government in Maharashtra in alliance with the BJP, but their ties have remain fraught. They recently fought bypolls in Maharashtra separately.

Mocking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his foreign tours, Thackeray said, “Modi will soon start tours to other planets.”

He also hit out at the BJP’s decision to withdraw support to the PDP-led government in Jammu and Kashmir.

“Did you need three years and the sacrifice of 600 jawans to realise that this government was useless?” Thackeray said, questioning the decision to announce ceasefire during Ramzan.

If terrorism had nothing to do with religion, why such ceasefire was announced, he asked.

“Does Pakistan follow a similar policy during Ganpati festival or Dussera?” the Sena chief asked.

Commenting further on the BJP’s break-up with the PDP, he said: “When a similar divorce took place with us (ahead of the 2014 assembly polls in Maharashtra), you did not take so much time.”

Sena and BJP fought the assembly elections separately but formed an alliance after the results were declared.

“We never gave up on our Hindutva ideology. If we lose power, we will regain it. But will never back down on Hindutva.

“The government with which you broke up today had not announced the ceasefire. It was announced by the Centre,” he said.

Referring to the solider who was abducted and killed by terrorists, he said: “Aurangzeb was going home for Eid, but was killed by terrorists. And you announce ceasefire for such people (terrorists).”

“You have broken up with PDP, now you can crush Pakistan. We will hail you (if you manage to do it),” he said.

“I have reiterated several times that we are not in favour of cow-slaughter. But our Hindutva is not restricted to saving cows. Aurangzeb may be a Muslim but he accepted death instead of surrendering to terrorists. To offer him tributes is (also) part of my Hindutva,” Thackeray said.

The Sena chief also opposed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill of the Centre. Earlier in the day, his party supported the Asom Gana Parishad’s stand on the issue.

“If the BJP is pushing for this bill, Shiv Sena MPs will oppose it. Why should we add more issues to worry about when we already have many. Why can’t the similar bill be presented for Kashmir?” he said.

The Sena chief averred that the next chief minister of Maharashtra would be from his party.

“General elections may be held in December, hence the monsoon session of Maharashtra legislature is being held in Nagpur (instead of Mumbai, as is the custom). If there are some schemes for Vidarbha, then Shiv Sena will support it,” he said.

Thackeray also slammed NCP chief Sharad Pawar, saying he was dividing Marathi people.

Pawar recently stirred up controversy at a function when he said his party should prefer the ‘Paagote’ such as the one used by social reformer Jyotirao Phule, and not the ‘Puneri Pagdi’ associated with Brahmin scholars.

“Wearing a Pagdi does not make you Lokmanya (Tilak) or Phule… You have aversion to Tilak’s Pagdi but you wear a special fur cap for Iftar,” Thackeray said.