Bal Thackeray should have been alive to witness Ram temple in Ayodhya: Devendra Fadnavis

In the video posted by Fadnavis, there were images of Bal Thackeray with BJP leaders Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L K Advani, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The video showed old clippings of Bal Thackeray where he was heard saying in an interview, “To me, Hindutva is Rashtravad (nationalism). And if Rashtravad is a crime, I will commit it repeatedly.”

Fadnavis said in the video, “Today, the Ram temple at Ayodhya has been consecrated under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi. I wish Balasaheb Thackeray were alive to witness the historic moment.”

Fadnavis added, “When Babri Mosque was demolished, the media asked Bal Thackeray for his comments. In response, Balasaheb Thackeray said, ‘If my Sainiks did the Babri Masjid demolition, I will be proud’.”

It is no secret that the BJP central and state leaders had always maintained cordial relations with Bal Thackeray, who died in 2012. Despite differences with Shiv Sena (UBT), led by Bal Thackeray’s son Uddhav, BJP leaders at both centre and state have always exercised caution not to distance themselves from Bal Thackeray. In fact, the BJP leaders always go the extra mile to appropriate Thackeray senior and his Hindutva legacy.

A senior BJP functionary said, “We admit Bal Thackeray was and will remain our inspiration. Offering tribute on his birth anniversary is natural. It is a social decorum.”

On Monday, when BJP celebrated the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, along with family and party leaders, offered prayers at the famous Kalaram temple at Nashik and he is set to address a public rally at Nashik on Tuesday.

Fadnavis and the BJP have been accusing Shiv Sena (UBT) of compromising on the Hindutva agenda by allying with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

On every public platform, Uddhav Thackeray has been attacking the BJP, saying that his Shiv Sena’s Hindutva is inclusive and does not subscribe to the dogmas and narrow-mindedness of the BJP.

Earlier, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut questioned Fadnavis’s role as kar sevak for the Ram temple in Ayodhya. He said, “Fadnavis must have gone to Nagpur railway station for a walk.”

The remarks invited sharp rebuke from the deputy chief minister, who quipped, “I don’t respond to fools.”