Remarks on Sena’s role in Babri Masjid demolition leave Patil isolated in BJP

Two prominent leaders in the Maharashtra unit of the BJP have distanced themselves from higher education minister Chandrakant Patil’s remarks that workers of the Shiv Sena led by Bal Thackeray were nowhere on the scene when Babri Masjid was demolished on December 6, 1992.

It’s Patil’s opinion, Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar said after his meeting with union home minister Amit Shah and party national president J P Nadda in Delhi on Wednesday. “However, it would have been better had he not said it. The BJP believes the Ram Janmabhumi movement was a spontaneous reaction by the entire Hindu community. Balasaheb ‘s contribution to this had been huge and we respect it. We do not want to indulge ourselves in the credit race. Our saints and seers had been fighting for the cause for more than 500 years.”

Shelar’s statement is seen as a message to Patil from the BJP top brass. “Shelar apprised Shah and Nadda of the happenings in the state and the possible turmoil after the Supreme Court verdict on the political crisis. The controversy over Patil’s remarks was also discussed and the statement by Shelar could not have come without the permission from the leaders,” a BJP leader, who did not want to be named, said.

Patil, who represents Kothrud constituency in the assembly, made these controversial remarks during an interview to a news channel on Monday. Soon after, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray called it an insult to the party founder and demanded that Patil be sacked as a minister. Chief minister Eknath Shinde, who leads the Sena’s rebel faction, also expressed his dismay and asked Patil to clarify his stand. On Tuesday, Patil retracted his statement.

State BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule said that Patil’s statement was not the party’s opinion. Leaders from the ruling parties admitted that it was a setback, especially to the Shinde camp. “The faction split from the Shiv Sena on Hindutva and ideology of Balasaheb. It may cost dear to the ruling alliance if it is raked up by the opposition during elections. That was the reason Shinde himself made sure that Patil retracted his statement,” the BJP leader, who was quoted above, said.

Bal Thackeray, who would take pride in the title, ‘Hindu Hriday Samrat’, had announced after the Babri Masjid demolition that he would have been proud if the mosque was demolished by his party workers, Shiv Sainiks.

Patil is not new to controversies. His statement in July last year that the BJP made Shinde the CM with a heavy heart had created a controversy. He had also said that Mahatma Jotiba Phule and Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil had begged to run educational institutes. He also took back his words on NCP MP Supriya Sule after he was attacked from all quarters.