Uddhav defends 'patriot' invocation instead of 'Hindu' one at INDIA alliance rally

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Monday hit out at BJP for criticising him over his opening remarks while addressing the INDIA bloc rally in Mumbai in the presence of Rahul Gandhi and other leaders of the Opposition.

Thackeray had addressed the audience as his ''deshbhakt and deshpremi brothers and sisters'' instead of the traditional invocation of ''Hindu brothers and sisters'' at the Shivaji Park gathering in Mumbai.

Shivaji Park has been associated with rallies of Shiv Sena since the days of Bal Thackeray, who would begin his speech with ''my Hindu brothers and sisters'' phrase.

''BJP leaders criticised me over the opening sentence of my speech in the rally. But I want to ask them aren't they patriots?'' Uddhav Thackeray said while addressing a rally in Vasmat in Hingoli district.

Thackeray said he used the ''deshpremi'' word because the INDIA bloc wanted to save the country and democracy.

''But some BJP leaders criticised me alleging that my language (read the Hindutva stand) has changed. I want to ask them aren't you patriots? Are you Modi bhakts or deshbhakts? We are deshbhakts and not Modibhakts,'' he said.

Thackeray appealed to the people to stop the rath or chariot coming to their villages, an apparent reference to BJP's poll campaigning.

''If the administration doesn't act, people should take action,'' he added.

Thackeray also criticised sitting Hingoli MP Hemant Patil, who won the 2019 Lok Sabha polls as the nominee of Shiv Sena (undivided) but recently joined the Eknath Shinde camp.

''It was I who made them MLAs, MPs, while some were made ministers but their appetite is so big,'' he added.

Thackeray also took a dig at Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over his statement of 'breaking two parties'.

''Some people feel proud of breaking two parties in the state. They should be given a license for house-breaking. Their (poll) symbol should be changed from the lotus to hammer,'' he added.

Fadnavis on Sunday said he was mocked for his 2019 assembly poll campaign punchline ''I will be back'' but he returned to power after breaking two parties, a reference to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and Sharad Pawar's NCP.

Thackeray attacked the Centre over its agricultural policies and alleged that guns are being pointed at farmers and tear gas fired when they try to reach Delhi to ''remind'' the government of its promise of awarding the guaranteed price to crops.

''The fate of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in the hands of farmers,'' he said while addressing Shiv Sena (UBT) workers in Sengaon village.

Farmers do not default on repaying loans. They don't travel to foreign countries, Thackeray added.

''But banks stick notices on their doors. At the same time, farmers don't get guaranteed prices for their crops and also cannot marry off their daughters. They can't provide proper education to their children. Against the backdrop of these factors, they commit suicide,'' the former chief minister said.

He asked agriculturists to show their power and refrain from taking their own lives.

Referring to farmers' protests at the Haryana border, Thackeray said, ''Guns are being pointed at farmers. Policemen with guns are made to stand in front of them. Tear gas is fired at the tillers trying to enter Delhi who want to remind the government of its promise of giving guaranteed price to crops''.

The government had promised to pay 50 per cent of the production cost to farmers but is ignoring them now, he alleged. Addressing his third rally of the day in Kalamnuri in Hingoli, Thackeray said, ''The MVA government started good schemes like Shiv bhojan and also helped people during the coronavirus pandemic. Our government was brought down because I did not allow investments to go out of Maharashtra.'' Thackeray said he did not have anything against Gujarati-speaking persons in the state, adding that they approach his party when they need, hospitals, blood, school admissions etc.

Citing the organisation of the World Cup cricket final (in Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad) and the Filmfare awards (in GIFT City in the neighbouring state), Thackeray claimed ''they (BJP) just wanted the money made from it for Gujarat''.

Criticising Modi for not meeting farmers of Dabhdi, the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief said the PM had a 'chai pe charcha' event with them in 2014.

''But nothing came out of it. The farmers tried to meet the PM in Delhi but were not allowed to do so. During Modi's tour of Yavatmal, these farmers were locked in a room,'' he alleged.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)