'We Tear Up Burqa Of Your Fake Hindutva': Uddhav Tells BJP He Sat Next To Mufti In Patna Meet On Purpose

Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray hit out at BJP, saying that he sat next to People's Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti at the Opposition meeting in Patna on purpose.

Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said he sat next to People's Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti at the Opposition meeting in Patna on purpose. His comments have come after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) hit out at him for doing so. While addressing the party workers, Thackeray also attacked the BJP and said Mufti told him that her party's alliance with the BJP was based on the condition that Article 370 of the Constitution would not be abolished.

Launching a scathing attack on Thackeray and his party, BJP leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had earlier on Friday said that the opposition parties were coming together only to save their dynasties, as reported by news agency PTI.

Fadnavis further said Thackeray used to criticise the BJP for forming an alliance with Mufti's party in Jammu and Kashmir, but now he was seen sitting next to her and talking about forming an alliance.

Reacting to him, Thackeray said, “I sat next to her on purpose,” as quoted by the agency. He further said, “Those who align with you (BJP) are clean. You left Hindutva when you went with Mehbooba. We tear up the burqa of your fake Hindutva.”

While addressing the crowd, Thackeray also showed the party workers photographs, where Mufti is seen with top BJP leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He said the party had not abandoned Hindutva.

Thackeray also said, “I am very sensitive about my family. Do not stoop to such a low level. You (Fadnavis) also have a family, and WhatsApp chats about your family are out in the open,” as quoted by PTI.

Notably, he was talking about phone chats between Fadnavis's wife Amruta Fadnavis and alleged cricket bookie Anil Jaisinghani and his daughter Aniksha. 

These chats and messages are part of a chargesheet filed against Jaisinghani, Aniksha, and his cousin Nirmal in a case related to alleged demand of bribes and extortion money from Amruta Fadnavis.

Hitting back at Thackeray, Fadnavis said the WhatsApp chats were included in the chargesheet on purpose.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said it was unfortunate that family members were being dragged into politics.

Shinde also accused Thackeray of abandoning Hindutva and said he joined the league of the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, PDP and Janata Dal-United, which were the parties bitterly criticised by Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray.