Shiv Sena has officially dropped Hindutva as Uddhav mocks Hindu sensitivities with Gaumutra jibe

The Shiv Sena has begun scaling new lows in its new political avatar, as it turns into a Hinduphobic party from one which claimed to stand and fight for ‘Hindutva’ only a year ago. Addressing the Shiv Sena Dussehra Mela yesterday, Chief Minister and Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray took to passing derogatory comments against former ally – the BJP. Referring to the BJP as an entity whose mouth and clothes stink of gaumutra (cow urine) and gobar (cow dung), Uddhav Thackeray took to single-handedly destroying even Sena’s pretence of being a Hindutvawaadi party any longer.

It is not a departure from Hindutva out of the blue for the Shiv Sena. As a matter of fact, to get rid of its image as a ‘Hindu’ political party, the Sena has been working overtime for the past one year, as it takes to prove itself much more ‘secular’ than even its alliance partners Congress and NCP. The Congress and NCP had demanded no less than absolute prostration of the Sena before them. Further, as a prerequisite, working towards achieving secular ideals was also laid down as a condition for an alliance between the NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena to be possible.

At the Dussehra Mela, Uddhav Thackeray in his condescending tone towards the BJP and Hindus at large, said, “Those who cast aspersions on our government, themselves have their mouths filled with cow-dung and Gaumutra. They have been trying to sling cow-dung at us, in a desperate hope that it will stick but it did not because we are clean. It is them whose mouth and clothes reek of Gaumutra and cow-dung.” The Chief Minister did not even spare late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, and shockingly said, “Those crying for justice for Bihar’s son are indulging in character assassination of Maharashtra’s son.” Whether he was referring to his son no less is not yet clear.

It must be remembered that for many Hindus, gaumutra is sacred. For someone who still claims to stand for and follow Hindutva, it becomes a bit rich to take jibes at a political opponent using references to things which are held sacred by a majority of Indians; Hindus in particular. Further, Uddhav Thackeray seems to be under the illusion that the Shiv Sena’s political fortunes can withstand the immense damage being caused due to silly statements from his end. Already, the brazen misuse of administrative machinery by the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, led by Shiv Sena, has been laid bare before the entire country to witness. With jibes against the BJP ending up hurting the sentiments of Hindus at large, the Shiv Sena is turning itself into an obsolete entity at a rapid pace.