'Jail me', dares Uddhav Thackeray as he hits out at BJP

Jail me if you want to come to power, dared Maharashtra chief minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray as he lashed out at the BJP for using central agencies and targetting the leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

Besides, he made it clear that the Shiv Sena has not diluted its stand on Hindutva.

Thackeray, who heads the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress dispensation that has kept the BJP out of power in Maharashtra, expressed concern over the way BJP was targeting political rivals by using central agencies.

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"If you want to come to power, then come to power. But don't do all these vicious things to come to power. Don't harass ours or anyone else's family members. We never bothered your family members…that we are saying that your families have done something wrong or that they have something that we can trouble you about. If you want to put us in jail to come to power, put me in jail,” Thackeray told the Maharashtra Legislature on the closing day of the Budget session.

This is for the first time, Thackeray spoke out on the issue after the ED attached properties of his brother-in-law Shridhar Patankar.

“Just as there was a Ram temple under the Babri structure, put me in the jail that was below Krishna's birthplace….while I am not Krishna you are not Kansa…just remember that,” he said.

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“You tell me what face I would show to Balasaheb (Thackeray)….but what face the leader of yours whom he saved will show to Balasaheb…what reply he will give,” he said.

Thackeray made it clear that he had not diluted his stand on Hindutva. “I am an Hindu and that everyone knows. “Put me in jail….I will go on everyone’s behalf,” he said.

He also lashed out at the BJP for demanding the resignation of minister Nawab Malik, who has been arrested by the ED in connection with a money laundering case involving a property deal with people linked to underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

"You ask for the resignation of Nawab Malik. Tell me first, why did you support Mehbooba Mufti who had sympathy for Afzal Guru and Burhan Wani?…..Where is Dawood? Does anyone know where is he? You fought the last elections in the name of Ram Mandir. Now, are you going to ask for votes in the name of Dawood? Did (former United States president) Barack Obama ask for votes in the name of Osama bin Laden? If you have guts then kill Dawood, will you?" he asked in the Assembly.

Thackeray also chose to hit out at Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis. "The matter is in court. I think the Leader of Opposition must be recruited by ED as he gave all the documents to ED, as he said somewhere, which I read,” he added.

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