Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde has made a scathing attack on Uddhav Thackeray on the issue of Shiv Sena becoming Muslim mayor of Uddhav Thackeray faction in Parbhani. Eknath Shinde said that Uddhav Thackeray had abandoned Balasaheb Thackeray’s ideology and Hindutva only after joining Mahavikas Aghadi (MVA) in the year 2019.

He further said, “This is why the public has repeatedly rejected him in elections. Shinde claimed that his party and its allies have won various elections including Municipal Corporation, Lok Sabha, Assembly, Zilla Parishad and Municipal Council.” He alleged that Uddhav Thackeray had to face defeat due to leaving Hindutva, but despite this he is still doing appeasement politics.

Statement on the issue of Bangladeshis

Deputy Chief Minister Shinde said that the documents of Bangladeshi citizens living illegally in Maharashtra and Mumbai will be verified. He clarified that those who are living illegally as hawkers or street vendors and if they are found to be Bangladeshi, they will be thrown out of the state. He appealed to the opposition to cooperate with the government instead of doing politics on this issue.

Reaction to Rahul Gandhi’s statement

Regarding Rahul Gandhi’s statement on the Prime Minister, Shinde said that those who go abroad and criticize India do not have the moral right to comment on the Prime Minister and patriotism. He said that for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, “Nation First” is paramount, while for the opposition, “Corruption First” has been the priority. Shinde alleged that there was widespread corruption before 2014, while the present government was working considering the country as paramount.

Comment on Vande Mataram

On the protest against Vande Mataram, Eknath Shinde said that Vande Mataram is a song to salute the motherland and everyone should respect it. He said that this song should not be opposed.