Mumbai: In a first joint rally of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance Sunday evening, former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray joined Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal in taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his educational degrees.
Speaking at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Thackeray said that if the PM could ask the Opposition questions, why could he not answer questions about his college degree?
“What kind of degree is this that when asked about it, a fine of Rs 25,000 is imposed?” asked Thackeray.
His words were in reference to the Gujarat High Court’s ruling Friday that set aside a 2016 order of the Central Information Commission (CIC) asking Gujarat University to furnish details of the PM’s degrees. The court also fined Delhi CM Kejriwal Rs 25,000 for asking for the details.
Thackeray added: “What type of degree does the PM have that he can’t show it to anyone? Forget the PM, even the college should be proud of him studying there. Why can’t that college speak out then?”
He further said that “when I became the chief minister and Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP) Jayant Patil became 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”.
Thackeray, who heads the Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT), further alleged that “they (the BJP-led central government) are also trying to control the judiciary”.
He warned: “They should take note of what is happening in Israel. His (Modi’s) friend (Israeli PM Benjamin) Netanyahu tried to do the same (proposed to overhaul the country’s judiciary) and the people of Israel hit the streets and he had to retract.”
“This (India) is a democracy and voters must control the PM here,” Thackeray added.
Sunday’s rally was the first for the MVA — which comprises the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP, and Congress — among a series of similar ones planned across Maharashtra to address the people and talk about how the coalition government was toppled last year in the state. The Shiv Sena faction led by current CM Eknath Shinde subsequently came to power in the state with support from the BJP.
Thackeray at the event mocked the BJP by calling it “Bhrashtavadi (Corrupt) Janata Party”, pointing out that those facing allegations of corruption were joining the party.
He also took a swipe at Modi for stating Saturday that his “image was getting maligned” and “people had given a supari (contract)” to do so.
“Who is doing that? Opposition leaders are being questioned by central probe agencies and they are being called corrupt. The BJP wants to finish off all political parties except their own. They feel nobody should ask them any questions. If questions are asked to PM Modi, then they say the entire OBC community is getting attacked. What about the opposition then?” Thackeray asked.
Also read: As Rahul’s Savarkar jibe sparks rift in MVA, BJP & Shinde’s Shiv Sena move to take advantage
‘Communal violence engineered’
The MVA was holding the rally just days after Aurangabad, newly-renamed as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, was hit by clashes during the recent festival of Ram Navami and the situation was tense.
Thackeray lashed out at the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP alliance over right-wing outfits taking out ‘Hindu Jan Akrosh Morcha’ rallies across Maharashtra.
“When the country has a powerful PM, why do you still feel the need to take out Jan Akrosh Morcha rallies? (Veer) 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’ (Hindu Rashtra)?” he asked.
Savarkar was a freedom fighter, politician and activist who gave birth to the Hindu nationalist philosophy of Hindutva.
The MVA rally was also addressed by state leader of opposition Ajit Pawar and senior Congress leaders Balasaheb Thorat and Ashok Chavan.
Pawar questioned the BJP and Shiv Sena for taking out the Savarkar Gaurav Yatra rally, which started Sunday, and termed them as hypocrites for selectively standing up for idols.
The Shiv Sena and BJP are jointly organising the rally to protest against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on Savarkar.
“Whatever was said about Savarkar, the issue is settled now. We are not against Gaurav Yatra but why were they silent when idols like Mahatma (Jyotirao) Phule and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj were insulted by the ex-Governor (Bhagat Singh Koshyari)?” Pawar asked.
He also alleged that the recent communal violence was “engineered” to ensure that the MVA rally did not take place. “All this was done to make sure that attention is diverted from real issues like unemployment and price rise,” Pawar said.
Senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan said the party had joined the MVA to stop the BJP and nothing could shake the alliance now.
“The way the MVA government was toppled is a threat to democracy. Uddhav Thackeray was a good leader who took everyone along. Will you forgive people who toppled the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government and disqualified Rahul Gandhi as MP only for asking questions?” Chavan asked.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
Also read: Veer Savarkar: The man credited with creating Hindutva didn’t want it restricted to Hindus