Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Surendra Jain on Saturday said the Hindutva body will oppose the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government's move to grant quota to Muslims in educational institutes.
Addressing a public meeting of workers of the VHP and Bajrang Dalin Mahal area, Jain dared Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to drive out illegal Bangladeshi settlers from the country.
He also accused the Shiv Sena president of betraying Chhatrapati Shivaji, Sena founder late Bal Thackeray, and the people of Maharashtra on the cause of Hindutva by the Muslim reservation decision.
A political war of words erupted on Friday after State Minority Affairs Minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik said in the Legislative Council that the government will ensure that a law giving five per cent quota to Muslims in education will be passed soon.
Later, Urban Development Minister and senior Sena leader Eknath Shinde said no such decision had been taken yet.
The Sena shares power with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress.
"A leader of the NCP talked about giving reservation to Muslims in education. The very next day a Shiv Sena MP says that we have not taken any such decision. Whom do you want to betray? If you do not want to give reservation to the Muslim community then say it openly," Jain said.
Targetting the CM, he said, "Uddhav Thackreyji this was not expected from you".
"Despite being son of Bal Thackeray you have forgotten your sanskar for the lust of power and doing exactly opposite what Balasaheb used to say. You have betrayed Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Balasaheb, B R Ambedkar, the people of Maharashtra and the Constitution of India," he said.
Jain said the VHP was against giving reservation to Muslims on the basis of religion.
"This is unconstitutional. We will oppose the move on the street and in court of law," said Jain.
He also dared the CM to announce that the government will throw out illegal Bangladeshi intruders from Maharashtra.
Ahead of the Maharashtra assembly elections in 2014, the then Congress-NCP government had issued an Ordinance allowing 16 per cent reservation for Marathas and 5 per cent for Muslims in government-run institutes and jobs.
The decision was challenged in the high court. The HC struck down Maratha reservation but allowed 5 per cent reservation for Muslims in education.
The new BJP-Shiv Sena government then enacted a law for Maratha reservation but dropped the Muslim quota.