Mumbai: Hinting at a possible alliance with Congress and Nationalist Congress Party in the upcoming polls, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday called for a 'Modi-mukt Bharat'.
Talking at the party’s customary Gudhi Padwa rally at Shivaji Park in Mumbai, he alleged that the single-point agenda for the BJP is to start riots over Ram Mandir issue so that they can win the 2019 General Elections. The rally is particularly significant in the current backdrop of many political developments in Maharashtra as well as at the national level. Also, it looks like the party is desperate to seek some power amid dwindling political fortunes. It has been 12 years since Raj Thackeray had formed the MNS.
“In 2014, we all believed in Narendra Modi’s call for a Congress-mukt Bharat. But now, after seeing what he has done to the country, I believe it is time for a Modi-mukt Bharat. You all too should be alert towards the developments in the country. Modi government is not good for the nation's interest,” Raj Thackeray said on Sunday night.
He called for all political parties to open a front against the BJP government.
“Look at the way the voices of the media and judiciary are being muzzled. Is this not an emergency? If you study the techniques being used by this government, you will see that all these techniques have been written in Adolf Hitler’s books,” he said.
He expressed fear that the country might be pushed into riots by the BJP for political gains in the coming elections. “The single-point agenda for BJP is to start riots in the country over Ram Mandir issue. I have heard that certain Muslim organisations have already been approached to spark riots soon after the issue is resolved. Do we want a Ram Mandir? Of course we do. But it can wait for another year. Let Ram Mandir issue be resolved after a year when the elections have already taken place,” he said.
Accusing the Modi government of duping people, he claimed that demonetisation was the biggest scam since Independence.
Thackeray claimed that the BJP government has feigned ignorance about the Rafale deal despite knowing everything. “Ambani was given land in Nagpur for defence production. CM Devendra Fadnavis and Nitin Gadkari were themselves present during the 'bhoomipoojan' and the Defence Minister is still claiming that she doesn’t know who Rafale’s India partners are,” he said.
He further claimed that the bullet train project, which will connect Mumbai and Ahmedabad, is a ploy to divide Mumbai from Maharashtra. He also questioned Narendra Modi’s frequent foreign visits. “If selling pakodas is employment, did Modi go globe-trotting to buy atta for the pakodas?” he asked. He also claimed that the BJP hates Maharashtra.
Taking a dig at Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar for acting in a video on ‘Save Rivers’, he likened the CM to an unpopular class monitor, and Mungantiwar to Samba of Sholay fame.
Thackeray, however, did not mention the Shiv Sena or his cousin Uddhav Thackeray anywhere in his speech.
The rally is important in context of the political developments that have been taking place in Maharashtra as well as at the national level. At a time when the Congress and NCP have opened a front to bring together all parties against the BJP, the growing concern in Maharashtra is whether BJP-Shiv Sena will fight the coming elections together. The proximity between Raj Thackeray and Sharad Pawar also seems to be growing. Raj Thackeray has been showing a liking for Rahul Gandhi too, through his cartoons.
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