Uddhav Thackeray denies abandoning Hindutva, proposing a Shivaji memorial

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday asserted he has not turned his back on the Hindutva ideology, but his former ally BJP's "mouldy" Hindutva was not acceptable to him.

Speaking at his party's gathering at Nashik in north Maharashtra, he also suggested that the BJP-led government in the state turn the Raj Bhavan premises in Mumbai into a memorial of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj while shifting the governor to some other place.

If the BJP has genuine respect for the 17th century warrior king, the Union government should declare a country-wide holiday on his birth anniversary, said the former Maharashtra chief minister.

Without the undivided Shiv Sena, the BJP would not have reached a stage where it could build a Ram temple in Ayodhya, said Thackeray who parted ways with the saffron party in 2019.

The BJP spread the fake narrative that the Shiv Sena (UBT) has ditched Hindutva, he said, adding that Muslims backed his party only because as chief minister he treated everyone equally.

"I parted ways with the BJP and not with Hindutva. I will not abandon Hindutva even if I die," Thackeray said.

The Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Hindutva meant nationalism, he said, adding that `mashal' (burning torch) might be the party's election symbol but `bhagwa' (saffron colour) is its identity.

"I do not accept the BJP's mouldy Hindutva," Thackeray added, in response to the jibes of his former ally that he gave up Hindu nationalism after severing the ties with the BJP and joining hands with the Congress in Maharashtra.

"Show me where I have abandoned Hindutva. It is a fake narrative that BJP is a Hindutva party," Thackeray said, noting that the BJP formed alliance with the Telugu Desam Party as well as the Janata Dal (United) whose chief Nitish Kumar had once sought "RSS mukt Bharat (India without RSS)." Thackeray also took a swipe at the BJP over its announcement to distribute 'saugat-e-Modi' gift kits during Ramzan. It was done with an eye on elections in Bihar, while in Maharashtra the same party gave the slogan `batenge toh katenge' (divided we will perish), he said.

When the Babri mosque was demolished in 1992, BJP leaders Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani apologised for it while Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray declared that he was proud if his party's workers had demolished the structure, Uddhav said.

The Muslim community in Maharashtra supported him because as chief minister he treated everyone equally, he said.

On his party voting against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Thackeray said it opposed the legislation because there was no connection between Hindutva and Waqf Boards.

He pointed out that the BJP recently announced an alliance with the AIADMK, which too opposed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.

The Sena (UBT) chief alleged that Mumbai was being "looted" as all big-ticket projects were being diverted to Gujarat.

Thackeray reiterated that he did not accept the results of the November 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections in which the Opposition suffered a rout.

If elections were held through ballot paper, the Opposition will get a mandate bigger than the one secured by the ruling Mahayuti coalition, he claimed.

He also cited the booth management of the BJP, and said his party needs to work on it.

The former CM, however, conceded that the Opposition alliance could not dispel the "illusion" created by the BJP and convey to the people the good work done by his government.

Targeting the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, he also asked how many of its chief were Dalits or Muslims, echoing a recent statement of state Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal.