Uddhav Thackeray flays BJP, RSS for ‘satta jihad,’ says they need power at any cost

The former chief minister also challenged the RSS to reflect on its contributions to Hindus over the past century. He questioned why RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat urged Hindus to unite against perceived threats, suggesting that the BJP, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had failed to protect them despite being in power for a decade.

“You (Bhagwat) say Hindus are under threat and should unite. What has Vishwaguru (PM Modi) been doing for the past 10 years? Why should you remain in power if you cannot protect Hindus?” Thackeray said. He further urged the RSS to hold a ‘Chintan Shibir’ to introspect on its actions and questioned whether it accepted the current state of the BJP, which he claimed had strayed from its original principles.

Stating that he respects the RSS and Bhagwat, but not the organisation’s actions, Thackeray criticised the BJP for admitting political leaders from various parties. “The BJP today is different from what it was during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s era. It had purity back then, but today’s BJP is ‘hybrid,’ having absorbed leaders from other parties. They should be ashamed of calling themselves the Bharatiya Janata Party, as it is neither truly Bharatiya nor a party for the Janata,” he said.

Thackeray likened the BJP to the Kauravas, accusing it of arrogance and asserting that the party was infested with ‘pests.’ Without directly naming Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and NCP leader Ajit Pawar, he said, “As crops are infested with pests, so too is the BJP with Shinde and Pawar. I feel sorry for the BJP that our old friend is infested with such pests. They are indulging in satta jihad, they need power at any cost.”

In his more than 40-minute speech, Thackeray reiterated his commitment to the people of Maharashtra and promised to scrap the Dharavi Redevelopment Project if the Maha Vikas Aghadi returned to power. “The government has issued 1,600 resolutions in 11 days. In two months, we will come to power and cancel most of these decisions. We will put officials in jail if we find any irregularities. They are looting Mumbai under the guise of Dharavi redevelopment. When we come to power, we will provide housing for police and other government staff in Dharavi. If any tender conditions for the redevelopment project are flouted, I announce today that we will scrap the tender awarded to Adani. Adani is not my enemy, but if he is going to loot Mumbai, we will not allow it,” he asserted.

Thackeray also urged Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud to deliver a “right decision” in the ongoing Sena versus Sena case in the Supreme Court. “I want to tell the CJI that if you want to make history, then give the right decision. If you don’t, people will lose faith in the judiciary. People believe only in the judiciary and democracy,” he remarked.

Promising to build a temple of Shivaji Maharaj in every district, Thackeray criticised Modi for using Shivaji as a political tool. “Modiji, it’s not an EVM machine, Shivaji Maharaj is our idol. I promise today, when we return to power, we will build a temple of Shivaji Maharaj in every district—not just in Maharashtra, but in every state of the country,” he said.