How low can a son stoop for his political gains? While we were still doubtful of what actually the limit is, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray steps in with yet another remark that makes us believe that a son can go beyond the limit to self-appraise for the political gains. CM Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday in a bid to demean the BJP didn’t even spare his father.
Balasaheb was “gullible” for Uddhav Thackeray
In a bid to attack Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, Uddhav Thackeray stated that he does not consider the “new players” of Hindutva. He went on to claim that “It is true Shiv Sena has changed over time and that is because he has experienced how his father Balasaheb Thackeray had been deceived.”
“It is alleged that the Shiv Sena is not the same which it was during Balasaheb Thackeray’s time. It is right. Balasaheb bhole hote (Balasaheb was gullible),” he said. “I have myself seen how you deceived Balasaheb from time to time. Hence, I am behaving a bit shrewdly with you. I am not gullible. He was ignoring the games you played in the guise of Hindutva. But I won’t ignore it,” he added.
The loudspeaker row has effectively been the highlight ever since Raj Thackeray waged a war against the use of loudspeakers. On this issue, the chief minister said, ” I don’t pay attention to such players. People have experienced exactly what games these players play and on what grounds. Sometimes they play the game of Marathi, sometimes of Hindutva…the people of Maharashtra have seen such games.”
“…In the last two years, theatres and cinema halls were shut due to the pandemic. So, if one is getting entertained for free, why shouldn’t he/she enjoy it?” the Chief Minister further added.
Raj Thackeray wakes up from his slumber
Raj Thackeray has woken up from his slumber once again, and this time along with his political outfit Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), he is demanding a ban on loudspeaker installation atop mosques. Earlier Raj Thackeray had himself warned to play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers if the volumes were not turned down during Azaan.
Read more: Raj Thackeray is 10 years late to claim BalaSaheb’s legacy but glad he’s woken up
His action made people believe that he is claiming giant Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb’s legacy and is also showing Shiv Sena’s patriarch Uddhav Thackeray his place.
Read more: Two steps forward, four steps back: Raj Thackeray chickens out
However, he has now chickened out. On the occasion of Eid, Raj Thackeray had asked his party workers to not play Hanuman Chalisa outside mosques.
Balasaheb: Hindu Hriday Samrat
Known for his oratory skills and tough stance, Balasaheb carved out a niche for himself in politics when ‘secular politics’ was thought of as the mainstream. Bal Thackeray had an opinion on everything from films to art and spoke against everything that he deemed against the Indian culture. The way he openly supported the Babri demolition is known to everyone.
This made him the firebrand Hindutva face, but he faced a lot of personal turmoil starting in 1995. This made him drift away from politics and his youngest son Uddhav Thackeray was heralded as the future of Shiv Sena. Raj Thackeray owned a similar ideology as Balasaheb and hence is often identified as the real successor of his legacy.
Uddhav, on the contrary, sits in the lap of the Congress party. He does not follow his father’s ideology and believes in ‘secularism’. However, it doesn’t give him the right to refer to his father as “gullible” as it is indeed a self-appraisal and not the correct way to retaliate.