BJP MP Dubey Counterattacks Uddhav As Sanjay Raut Attacks Fadnavis, Shinde

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey counterattacked Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday by tweeting against Uddhav using his X handle, after Dubey was criticised by Uddhav Thackeray on Monday for his statements against Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, for allegedly encouraging attacks against Hindi-speaking migrants.

Tweeting from his X account on Tuesday, BJP MP Dubey listed a few properties allegedly owned by Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, but without naming anybody, which said, “3 BHK flat, New More, Santacruz, 4 BHK, 20th Road, Bandra, flat in Air India Colony, Virar, commercial shop, Kajupada, Borivali, Konkan Restaurant, Nallasopara, residential property, Konkan, Kelve.” After which, he posed a question without naming anyone, “Paisa kahan se laate ho, bhai? (Where do you get the money from, brother?)”

Advertisement

Shortly thereafter, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP and chief party spokesperson Sanjay Raut attacked BJP MP Dubey, saying, “Who is Dubey? He is a ‘dalal’ (middleman) known for taking commissions and acting on behalf of certain industrialists. Some of his activities take place in Mumbai as well. He extorts money from industrialists. He holds a fake degree from Delhi University, which he submitted to Parliament. He does ‘commissionkhori’ (taking kickbacks) and ‘dalali (acting as a middleman).”

Raut told mediapersons here on Tuesday that he was surprised about the “silence” of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his cabinet after BJP MP Dubey’s remarks against Shiv Sena, MNS, and Marathi people. Raut appealed to Hindi-speaking leaders to condemn Nishikant Dubey’s remark while attacking CM Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde.

“I appeal to Hindi-speaking leaders here to condemn the statement by Dubey. Only then will I say that you are from Maharashtra. I am surprised that the Maharashtra CM and his cabinet are silent when a BJP MP is making statements against the Marathi people. What kind of CM is he? He has no right to take the names of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Balasaheb Thackeray. Eknath Shinde, who considers himself the leader of the duplicate Shiv Sena, should cut off his beard. He must resign. He should go and ask (Narendra)Modi and (Amit)Shah about what is happening in Maharashtra,” Raut said.

A few hours later on Tuesday, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis distanced himself from BJP MP Nishikant Dubey’s “patak patak ke maarenge (will beat up)” statement made on Monday, saying that it was “wrong and inappropriate”.

CM Fadnavis told mediapersons here that he did not completely agree with BJP MP Dubey’s remarks about Maharashtrians on Monday.

“If you listen to the complete statement made by Nishikant Dubey, he particularly spoke about an organisation(s) and not against Marathi people in general. However, in my opinion, it is inappropriate to make such comments. Its interpretation causes confusion among the minds of people,” Fadnavis told media persons here at the Vidhan Bhavan on Tuesday.

“I believe that Nishikant Dubey’s statement was not completely correct. Nobody can deny or forget the contribution of Maharashtra to the progress of the country, and if someone does so, it would be completely wrong,” Fadnavis said.

The controversy erupted after BJP MP Dubey reacted to reports of attacks by MNS workers on Hindi-speaking migrants in Mumbai’s suburbs by saying, “You people are surviving on our money. What kind of industries do you have (in Maharashtra)? If you are brave enough to beat Hindi speakers, then you should also have the guts to hit those who speak Urdu, Tamil, and Telugu. If you are such a ‘big boss’, step out of Maharashtra and come to Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, or Tamil Nadu. ‘Tumko patak patak ke maarenge’ (You will be beaten up badly)”.