'Shiv Sena is my party': Uddhav Thackeray lashes out at PM Modi

'Ram ki baat hui…abhi kaam ki baat karo,' Thackeray said as he launched Shiv Sena (UBT)’s campaign for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, as he questioned BJP's governance record.

Mumbai: Asserting that Shiv Sena is his party that he inherited from his late father Balasaheb Thackeray, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said that it is high time to make BJP-mukt 'Prabhu Shree Ram' even as he questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi on multiple issues including what he has done in the last 10 years.

Thackeray also dared the BJP to hold elections on ballot paper keeping aside the EVMs and show whether it can cross 400 seats. 

Coinciding with the 98th birth anniversary of  Balasaheb, the Shiv Sena founder, the former Maharashtra Chief Minister launched the 2024 Lok Sabha campaign for his political outfit Shiv Sena (UBT) from Nashik, the pilgrimage capital of the state. 

During the day, Thackeray addressed a convention of the party and a well-attended public meeting. 

Hitting out at Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who rebelled and joined hands with the BJP, Thackeray said: “They say that I am running a dynastic party… Yes… but I have inherited everything including my Shiv Sainiks… I have not stolen anything like you did.” 

“Ram ki baat hui…abhi kaam ki baat karo…let's move from Ram-bharose to kam-bharose,” Thackeray said.

“Let there be a debate on work…please tell what you have done in 10 years…than (discussing) what Congress has done in 75 years,” he said addressing a party convention in Nashik coinciding with the 98th birth anniversary of Balasaheb Thackeray, who founded the Shiv Sena in 1966 for the cause of Marathi-manoos and later was among those who championed the Hindutva-movement. 

Thackeray said Lord Ram is not the private property of any leader or any party, but the BJP has even tried to hijack Lord Ram. “Now the time has come to free Lord Ram from the BJP’s clutches…let there be BJP-mukt Prabhu Shree Ram,” he said. 

Even as the spoke of central agencies victimising his party leaders, he wanted to know the accounts vis-a-vis PM Cares Fund. “The PM Cares Fund must be probed… where has all the money gone, why no details are given,” he asked and added that when the opposition comes to power all these aspects would be probed. 

Thackeray said  Congress fought for India’s Independence, neither the RSS nor the Jan Sangh were there, and they did not join the freedom struggle. “But on the contrary, the Jan Sangh attempted to sabotage the Samyukta Maharashtra Movement,” he said. 

Thackeray also took objections to Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra treasurer Govindgiriji Maharaj drawing parallels between Modi and legendary Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who had laid the foundation of ‘Hindavi-Swarajya’.

“There can be absolutely no comparisons…If there was no Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj today this temple would not have come up,” he said, adding that it was because of Balasaheb Thackeray that the temple issue came to the fore.