People stealing identity of leaders who made them: Thackeray reacts to NCP split

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday reacted to the recent split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and without naming Ajit Pawar, said, “Nowadays, instead of creating something on their own, people are stealing the identity of the leaders who made them.”

Saying that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants to take full control of the country, Thackeray criticised the politics of claiming control of a party by splitting it.

Thackeray also attacked prime minister Narendra Modi-led Union government over the situation in the country saying that the Emergency in 1975 was officially declared but now there is an undeclared emergency.

Speaking during a function at Nehru Centre where four former chief ministers of the state shared the dais to release a biography ‘Jawahar’, which is based on the life of freedom fighter and former minister Jawaharlal Darda.

Former chief ministers Prithviraj Chavan, Ashok Chavan and Sushil Kumar Shinde were also present at the event.

Continuing with his attack on the brand of politics being practised, Thackeray said that nowadays politics lacks the touch of human relationship.

“Lakhs of people like Darda participated in the freedom struggle so that the next generations could live in a free and independent nation but look at the current situation of the country.

“The party, which did not participate in the freedom struggle, is ruling the nation and trying to take full control of it,” said Thackeray.

“There might have been some mistakes committed during the emergency period but now there is an undeclared emergency,” he said.

“Back then people were free to speak against the ruling Congress party. Many writers held rallies to campaign against the ruling party and they were free to do so. But now, if someone speaks against the government, the ruling party makes sure that he will not be able to speak again,” said Thackeray.

Thackeray also dwelled on the probe by Enforcement Directorate into the alleged Jumbo Covid scam and the special investigating team (SIT) of the Mumbai police that has been set up by the Eknath Shinde government to investigate alleged irregularities in an expenditure of ₹12,024 crore by nine departments of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

Thackeray challenged the central government that alongwith the inquiry into BMC’s spending, it should order an inquiry into how all the states have handled the Covid pandemic and their expenditures during the period.

“Let them inquire about the BMC works during the Covid. Mumbai set an example before the nation in controlling Covid. But if they (BJP) do not have a large heart to admire the BMC work, they should at least not defame Mumbai,” said Thackeray.

He once again demanded an inquiry into the PM Cares fund and warned action on those defaming the BMC.

Former CM Chavan said that politics during the days of Darda was like a cricket Test match but nowadays politics has become like a T20 match, and nobody knows what will happen the next moment.