Uddhav Thackeray, your betrayal surpasses Raghoba Dada

The great Mr. Uddhav Thackeray still does not seem to have recovered from the blow delivered by the voters in the Legislative Assembly.

Recently, at an event held on the birth anniversary of Shiv Sena Chief venerable Balasaheb Thackeray, when Uddhav Thackeray gave a bunch of baffling speeches under the guise of a historian giving historical evidence, it became evident that Uddhav Thackeray has learned nothing from his recent historic defeat.

Uddhav Rao pretended to demonstrate great bravery by making false criticisms and accusations about the Bharatiya Janata Party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, however, it only made his helplessness and frustration due to defeat clearly visible again and again. Neither did the Bharatiya Janata Party, and nor did the ordinary workers of Shiv Sena ever oppose Uddhav Thackeray becoming the Chief Minister.

The opposition was against destroying the Hindutva ideology of Venerable Balasaheb Thackeray for the Chief Minister’s post… To cover up his monstrous desire for power, Uddhav Rao decided to concoct the promise of a two-and-a-half-year Chief Minister’s post that was never even given by the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership and furthermore he decided to join hands with Congress and nevertheless, with Sharad Pawar, who had opposed Venerable Balasaheb’s Hindutva ideology all his life.

The Bharatiya Janata Party was opposed to this betrayal, is still opposed today, and will continue to be opposed. Uddhav Thackeray did not stop after getting the post of Chief Minister after such betrayal. In the last five years, he has tarnished Venerable Balasaheb’s ideology by bowing down to the fundamentalists of the Muslim religion for power.

All India Muslim Personal Law Board spokesperson Sajjad Nomani said before the assembly elections that 10 percent reservation should be given to the Muslim community from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota, the cases against Muslim youth in the riots that took place in the state between 2012 and 2024 should all be removed, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh should be banned, financial packages should be given to Muslim youths who marry Hindu girls, there should be an increase in the financial packages to Waqf Board, Madrasa, etc. 17 such demands were made by an official letter to the Mahavikas Aghadi.

Sajjad Nomani had also publicly appealed to find out the people of the Muslim community who voted for BJP in the Lok Sabha elections and boycott them. Uddhav Thackeray had publicly admitted that he accepted all these demands and had thereby beaten the drum of his Hindutva betrayal.

Venerable Balasaheb had strongly opposed giving reservation on religious grounds. However, Uddhav Rao accepted this demand of the Ulema and showed that he can go to any extent for power. It was only because of Uddhav Rao’s prostration before the Ulema that UBT could even get 10 seats elected in Mumbai.

By referring to past political events, Uddhav Rao has claimed to be a great researcher. Sharad Pawar established ‘PULOD’ in 1978 and became the Chief Minister. The Janata Party, which was part of Pulod’s coalition, also included former Jan Sangh members. At that time, Pawar Saheb was in the company of the Jan Sangh.

At that time, Pawar Saheb was conveniently associated with Jan Sangh. Although Pawar Saheb is strongly opposed to BJP now, he was not bothered by Jan Sangh at that time. This same Pawar Saheb lowered his flag of opposition to the Congress and surrendered to it. In 1999, this same Pawar Saheb then opposed Sonia Gandhi on the issue of foreign citizenship and founded the Nationalist Congress Party. But again in the 1999 assembly elections, when no one got a majority, Pawar Saheb abandoned the issue of foreign citizenship and once again joined hands with the Congress for power. Venerable Balasaheb and the very same Uddhav Rao had also fiercely criticized Pawar Saheb for his defection/defecting nature. Now Uddhav Rao has conveniently forgotten his criticism.

The Bharatiya Janata Party leadership has never deviated from its ideology like this. In 1998, while forming the National Democratic Alliance under the leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party, the BJP leadership had publicly stated that they were putting aside the three issues of Ram Mandir, Uniform Civil Code and repeal/abolishment of Article 370 for some time. Of these, the Modi government has fulfilled two demands, Ram temple and repeal of Article 370.

Marathi people have not yet forgotten the history of Raghunathrao Peshwa, who, out of his great greed to become a Peshwa, had joined hands with the British to get the Peshwa throne by killing his own nephew. Uddhav Thackeray betrayed Shivshahi by following the example of Raghoba Dada.

At that time, Ram Shastri Prabhune blamed Raghoba Dada. As a result, Raghoba Dada had to give up the post of Peshwa in a short time. Destiny has taught Uddhav Rao a fitting lesson. If UBT had gained power in the state on his own strength, the BJP would never have opposed him. However, instead of going that route, he chose the path of betraying Hindutva and Balasaheb’s ideology. Uddhav Thackeray is suffering the consequences of his own actions.

(Article Pre-Published in Times of India Online – 27 January, 2025) 

Keshav Upadhye, Chief Spokesperson