Uddhav advocates ‘Jai Shivaji, Jai Bhavani’ in response to BJP’s ‘Jai Shri Ram’

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday accused the BJP of poisoning society and asked his supporters to respond to the ruling party’s favoured ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogan with ‘Jai Shivaji’ and ‘Jai Bhavani’.

He was addressing Sena (UBT) workers at an event here.

“If anyone says Jai Shri Ram, do not let the person leave without making sure that he says Jai Shivaji and Jai Bhavani.

“The BJP has poisoned our society. I am going to give the BJP a tough time for what they have done to our society,” he said.

Thackeray also questioned the BJP’s commitment to the country, citing its stance on international sports events.

He said that while BJP leaders once opposed sporting events with Pakistan, India is now playing cricket matches with both Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The Sena (UBT) chief also responded to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s recent jibe in the legislative assembly – “I am not Uddhav Thackeray to stay ongoing projects”.

Thackeray, who held the CM’s post for more than two years, said if Fadnavis wants to emulate him, he should announce loan waivers for farmers and allocate revised funds for initiatives like Shiv Bhojan and Ladki Bahin schemes in the budget, which will be presented on March 10.

The Sena (UBT) leader claimed that he had halted certain projects during his tenure as CM and would have relocated the Metro 3 carshed to Kanjur Marg if he had remained in office longer. He alleged that the land is now being allocated to the Adani group.

The BJP and Thackeay’s party were at loggerheads over the Mumbai Metro 3 carshed site.

After the Thackeray-led MVA government collapsed in 2022 due to Eknath Shinde’s rebellion and ensured the BJP’s return to power, the new government decided to set up the Metro carshed at Aarey in the western suburbs. Thackeray wanted it to be built in Kanjur Marg on the eastern side.