New Delhi: Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and dared him and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to fulfil late Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar's dream of "Akhand Bharat".
Addressing the first rally of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Thackeray said, “Savarkar suffered rigorous imprisonment and hardships for the Independence of the country and not to make Modi the prime minister. Will you fulfil Savarkar's dream of 'akhand Bharat'?"
"The BJP and (Eknath) Shinde-led Shiv Sena should follow the ideals of Savarkar and Sardar Patel. Some time back, Amit Shah had asked BJP in Maharashtra to show Uddhav Thackeray his place. This is my place. But when will you show us the place in the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK)?" he added.
The former chief minister of Maharashtra also slammed PM Modi over the issue of his educational degrees, days after Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was fined Rs 25,000 by the Gujarat high court for seeking details on it.
"Any college will be proud if one of its students has become the prime minister of the country. When I became the chief minister and NCP's Jayant Patil a minister in my government, both of us were felicitated by our alma mater Balmohan Vidyamandir in Mumbai because they felt it was a proud moment for the institution," he said.
“There are many young people with degrees but without jobs... When PM is asked to show his degree, the fine is ₹ 25,000. What is this college which doesn't come out to feel proud of the fact that their college is where the Prime Minister studied?” he asked.
He further took potshots at PM Modi over the disqualification of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi from Lok Sabha and said, “If something is said to PM Modi, then OBC is insulted. PM said that efforts are being made to malign his image, then what about our image? Opposition leaders are being harassed, raided and arrested. BJP took corrupt people from opposition parties to their party.”
Thackeray also launched an attack on the BJP over allegations that he formed an alliance with the ideologically different Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party just for becoming the chief minister.
"Yes, we did come together for power. But despite losing it, we are still together and even stronger," Thackeray said.
Leader of Opposition Ajit Pawar claimed that BJP’s 'Savarkar Gaurav yatra' was nothing but hypocrisy.
"Whatever was said about Savarkar, the issue is settled. We are not against the gaurav yatra but why were these people silent when Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was insulted?" he asked.