Since parting ways with BJP, Uddhav Thackeray has repeatedly attacked his former alliance partner. He has now developed a new theory blaming the BJP for the Pulwama attack and alleging that riots could erupt after the inauguration of Sri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

What did Thackeray say?

On Sunday, 27 August 2023, Uddhav Thackeray, the leader of the Shiv Sena UBT, held a rally in Hingoli, Maharashtra. During his speech to his party members, he made controversial statements quoting known Modi baiters and Hinduphobics.

Thackeray said that the BJP was responsible for the Pulwama terrorist attack. He mentioned Satyapal Malik, a former lieutenant governor of Jammu and Kashmir, and Mahua Moitra, a TMC MP, to support his claim.

He continued, “Mahua Moitra is an MP from Bengal, and Satyapal Malik is a former lieutenant governor of Jammu and Kashmir. They both stated that the BJP planned the Pulwama attack to win the 2019 elections. So, this is not just my opinion, but what they have openly said.”

Thackeray added, “There’s another concerning possibility that we should pay attention to. The recent revelations suggest that the attack by Pakistan was falsely portrayed. They might make extravagant promises, like building a house on the moon. This is even more dangerous. Consider the Ram Mandir being constructed – the BJP claims credit, but they didn’t actually initiate it. The court’s order and people’s contributions made it happen. However, they plan to inaugurate the Ram Mandir and gather many Hindus in Ayodhya. Afterwards, while these Hindus return home by train and bus, there could be orchestrated attacks near Muslim areas to spark riots across the country. This is not my view, but what these two leaders have suggested.”

He further said, “In the upcoming general elections, PM Modi might promise unrealistic things, like a house on the moon, linking it to the Chandrayaan mission’s success. Though it’s not feasible, people might momentarily consider it. Sadly, you might end up losing what you already have in pursuit of these empty promises. This is one possibility, and there’s another crucial aspect.”

Thackeray earlier attacks on BJP

Thackeray has launched regular tirades at BJP the latest being at a rally in Ratnagiri’s Khed where he used the ‘gaumutra’ jibe yet again. In October 2020, while speaking at the annual Shiv Sena Dusshera Mela, Uddhav Thackeray alleged that BJP’s Hindutva is confined only to Gaumutra and Cow Dung. He further went on to say that BJP spews the same gaumutra and cow dung on others. Attacking further he said, “It is you and your clothes who reek smell of Gaumutra and Dung. What am I supposed to do?”.

In December 2020, Thackeray in his Assembly speech said, “Those who were earlier reading horoscopes have now begun to read books and reports”. This was apparently a jibe targeting the LoP (Leader of Opposition) Devendra Fadnavis who is a Brahmin. Thackeray wanted to imply that Brahmins only read horoscopes.

As HinduPost has repeatedly pointed out, from the looks of it, Thackeray not only needs lessons on Hindutva and Hindu Dharma but also in using a civil language and respecting the majority. Attacking Hindus just to score brownie points and acceptance among his new-found secular friends is certainly a trait of Lutyens cabal.

‘Hindutvawadi’ Thackeray turns pseudo-secular for power

Ever since Uddhav Thackeray joined hands with Congress (INC) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), he has never missed an opportunity to display his Hindu hate (Hindudvesh) albeit using the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) as a red herring. In the latest instance, Thackeray compared the Hindu holy Swastika to the Nazi symbol Hakenkreuz.

HinduPost had reported Thackeray’s farewell speech in July 2022 which was a clear indication of his shift towards pseudo-secularism. One of the things that stuck out like a sore thumb in his speech was his ‘commitment’ to Hindutva. Despite being in power for the past two and half years, it was only in his last cabinet meeting as CM that Thackeray officially renamed Aurangabad to Sambhaji Nagar and Osmanabad to Dharashiv. Interestingly, both NCP and Congress backed Thackeray even though INC had opposed the move all along.

Such a committed Hindu CM had banned the Pandharpur Wari using the pandemic as an excuse. The Warkaris of Pandharpur were not permitted to carry out their annual wari during Ashad Ekadashi – the state even reneged on its promise to some palkhis to provide them transportation. Then came the MVA government order to ‘contain’ Ganesh Utsav celebrations. Subsequently, in November 2020 the Thackeray government banned Chhath Puja.

Contrast the ‘orders’ for Hindus with the ‘request’ made to Muslims: the MVA Government has ‘appealed’ to the Muslim community to celebrate Eid-al-Adha (Bakri Eid) symbolically ‘if possible’. The operational word here is “if possible”; the government that shamelessly punishes Hindus and bends over backwards for the so-called minority vote bank. The Uddhav government had even committed to reservations for Muslims but was dilly-dallying on Maratha reservations.

It was under Hindutva Thackeray’s watch that two Sadhus and their Hindu driver were lynched to death in Palghar. It was during Thackeray’s tenure that posters of Bhagwan Ram put up during the Ram Mandir fund collection drive were torn down. In his farewell speech, Thackeray thanked Muslims for maintaining peace and law & order in the state. Only recently, Umesh Kolhe was murdered by four Muslims, and before that 26-year-old Sriram was reportedly assaulted by three Muslims for putting up a status supporting former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. There have been numerous instances of hooliganism by ruling MVA party members.

The supremacist attitude that plagues the so-called secular progressive politicians was evident in Thackeray’s speech. He talked about making rickshawallahs and panwallahs ministers as if he was doing some big favour to them. It must be mentioned that the ministers he is talking about belong to SC (scheduled castes) and OBC (other backward castes).

Is Thackeray’s latest conspiracy theory a reflection of his frustration after losing control of his party and power or simply a rant to co-opt politicians like Moitra? Whatever the case, that is quite rich coming from one who disrespected the mandate of the citizens of Maharashtra.