MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena continued its attack on the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) saying those who left Bal Thackeray must not teach them Hindutva. The reaction came after MNS chief Raj Thackeray posted a video clip of Sena founder Bal Thackeray’s views on loudspeakers atop mosques.
On Wednesday morning, Raj Thackeray tweeted a video clip of the Sena supremo’s rally where he is heard saying that the Shiv Sena will not rest until it is successful in preventing people from offering namaz on roads when it comes to power in the state. “Religion must be such that it should not come in the way of the nation’s progress, people must not be disturbed by it. If my Hindu religion is causing inconvenience to anybody, they should come to me, and we will resolve it… Loudspeakers will come down,” he said.
It led to a strong reaction from the Shiv Sena. The party leader and member of Parliament (MP) Sanjay Raut dismissed the claim that the MNS was successful in shutting the loudspeakers in mosques and added that the State was following the Supreme Court order.
“Those who left Balasaheb and his teachings, and those who have become the concubine of the BJP, which backstabbed the Shiv Sena, must not teach us Hindutva. They must do their politics but they don’t have the right to call others fake. Like there are fake liberals, there are fake Hindutvawadis as well,” Raut said.
“Uddhav Thackeray is the son of Balasaheb Thackeray, so, he doesn’t need any guidance from anyone on what to do about issues like the offering of Namaz on roads and decisions on illegal loudspeakers atop Mosques,” the Sena chief spokesperson added.
Raut said that the late Sena supremo had taken a stance on loudspeakers and Namaz following which Supreme Court had to intervene. “Then the SC ruling came for the entire country to follow. If someone doesn’t know this, then he must study Balasaheb and if needed we can send them more videos,” he said.
MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande said that Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had abandoned Hindutva and hence the video was a reminder to him. “Balasaheb had said that loudspeakers will not be there once their government came, but the Sena(-led) government today is going back on it. Raj Saheb is taking forward the teachings and ideology of Balasaheb forward,” he said.
In an attack on the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), Raut said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union home minister Amit Shah must take note of the developments as it could spread unrest in the country. Raut also equated the Supreme Court orders on loudspeakers to uniform civil code saying the law is above religion.
“If the SC orders are not respected then why are we speaking about a uniform civil code. A uniform code means that all should adhere to orders going above religion. Law is above religion, and so if someone is using the language of threats, then it is against the uniform civil code.” He added, “The party, which is in power at the Centre, is giving its support to such people. So, prime minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah must take note of this as it is not just in the state but there could be unrest in the entire nation,” he said.