In response to Union Minister Amit Shah’s remarks labeling him as the head of the “Aurangzeb Fan Club,” Uddhav Thackeray called Shah a “political heir” of Ahmad Shah Abdali, the Afghan ruler who defeated the Marathas in the Battle of Panipat. Shah had previously attacked Thackeray during a visit to Pune on July 21, referring to him as the “leader of the Aurangzeb Fan Club.”
Allegations Against the BJP
Uddhav Thackeray accused the BJP, a former ally, of orchestrating splits within political parties, particularly the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). He referred to a letter from former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Balasaheb Deoras to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, which emphasized no hatred towards Muslims or non-Hindus and upheld secularism as a valued Hindu trait. Thackeray questioned whether this form of Hindutva was unacceptable to Shah.
Criticism of BJP Policies
Thackeray claimed that the people of Maharashtra delivered a strong message to Shah during the recent Lok Sabha elections, noting that Shah returned to his leaders to assess the political damage after campaigning and facing voter backlash. He told his party workers in Pune that, according to the BJP, aligning with Muslims after explaining their version of Hindutva equates to being part of the “Aurangzeb Fan Club” and accused the saffron party of engaging in “power jihad.”
Accusations of Voter Bribery
Thackeray criticized the Eknath Shinde government’s “Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin” scheme, describing it as an attempt to bribe voters with freebies. He also mentioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s demand for accountability from the Congress for its 70-year governance, highlighting structural issues within a year of the new parliament building’s construction. Thackeray urged Modi to address the mismanagement of his government.
Vision for Pune’s Development
Expressing his desire to win the assembly election for Pune’s development, Thackeray promised to build roads that would last for 200 years if given the opportunity to lead the state again.
BJP Leaders Respond
BJP leader and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis criticized Thackeray, calling him “disappointed and frustrated” and suggesting that the Sena leader’s remarks were evidence of his unstable state of mind and affiliation with the “Aurangzeb Fan Club.”
Commenting on Thackeray’s statements, Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan said, “I think Uddhav Thackeray has lost his mental balance. He had earlier made wrong comments on PM Modi, Maharashtra deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis. Today, he made wrong comments about the home minister of India Amit Shah… Elections are very far, I don’t know till then what kind of language he will use.”