MUMBAI: Union Minister Amit Shah on Sunday criticized Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray for aligning with the Congress party, whose leaders, according to Shah, have disrespected prominent figures like Balasaheb Thackeray and Veer Savarkar. Speaking after the release of the BJP’s manifesto for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections on November 20, Shah questioned whether Uddhav Thackeray could persuade Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to speak positively about Savarkar. He further asked if any Congress leader would honor Balasaheb Thackeray in public.
Shah emphasized the contradictions within the alliance government dreamt of by opposition parties, urging the people of Maharashtra to recognize the political divide. He also addressed concerns about the promises made by Congress, especially regarding reservations for Muslims. Shah pointed out that the Indian constitution does not provide reservations based on religion, adding that Congress had promised reservations in their pre-election manifesto, which he believes is misleading. In contrast, he stressed that the BJP’s promises are always fulfilled, whether at the Centre or state levels.
Further criticizing the opposition, Shah said that the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition lacked credibility and that its election promises insulted core ideological values, promoting appeasement politics. He accused the opposition of offering empty promises to the people of Maharashtra, questioning their sincerity.
Shah also targeted Sharad Pawar, asking him to explain his contributions to Maharashtra during his tenure as a minister in the UPA government for ten years. He suggested that Pawar’s time in power did not benefit the people of Maharashtra and called for accountability on the part of the opposition leaders.
