A volley of charges and accusations was exchanged between the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and the BJP on Tuesday, with each trying to outdo the other, about how Dussehra (Vijayadashmi) rallies on October 2 (Thursday) ought to be organised.
Talking to media persons on Tuesday, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena MP and chief party spokesperson Sanjay Raut said, “Eknath Shinde should hold his Dussehra gathering in Vadodara, Surat, or Ahmedabad in Gujarat. He should invite (Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s son) Jay Shah”.
However, BJP spokesperson Navnath Ban countered Sanjay Raut, saying, “Sanjay Raut must stop taking Jay Shah’s name. Uddhav Thackeray should invite All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi and All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) spokesperson Sajjad Nomani to his party’s Dussehra rally. During the rule of Uddhav Thackeray, who abandoned the Hindutva ideas of the venerable Balasaheb Thackeray and came to power with the help of the Congress, Hindus were being openly attacked, riots were taking place, and Hindu houses were being burnt”.
“Under the BJP-led Mahayuti government, priority is being given to maintaining law and order. Why should Sanjay Raut be so angry about the police taking action against rioters in Ahilyanagar? Uddhav Thackeray’s party has become a dependent of the Congress, and his party has become merely a subsidiary of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi,” BJP spokesperson Navnath Ban said on Tuesday, at a press conference at the BJP Maharashtra state unit office.
Meanwhile, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena has announced that it will hold its traditional annual Dussehra gathering at Shivaji Park ground in Dadar West, no matter how badly it might rain on October 2 (Thursday).
Initially, the Deputy CM Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena had insisted on holding its Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park, but later took a conciliatory stance and decided to organise it at Azad Maidan instead.
Though the meteorological department has predicted rain for a week, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena has started preparing to hold its Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park.
A grand stage required for the rally and seating arrangements for VIPs, as well as chairs for Shiv Sainiks, are all being organised and set up. Uddhav-led Shiv Sena office bearers have been told that no matter how much it rains, the Dussehra rally will be organised at Shivaji Park in Dadar West.
Reacting to this development, BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhye said, “Uddhav Thackeray must cancel his Dussehra rally in the Shiv Sena and give away the cash to flood victims. Uddhav Thackeray spent a three-hour tour of five districts and expressed his sorrow, pain, and anguish. He sat at home without taking any action when he was the Chief Minister, and now it is time for him to atone for his inaction”.
Upadhye also criticised the content of Uddhav Thackeray’s annual rally, saying that in the past, under Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, the event was known for its ideological direction.
“But now, it has been reduced to repeating the same script of calling others traitors. Why should ordinary people be burdened with lakhs of rupees for such theatrics, when the same lament continues daily in the Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana’,” Upadhye said.
However, Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena spokesperson Harshal Pradhan responded to BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhyay’s words and said, “Keshav Upadhyay, who advised Uddhav Thackeray to give away cash to flood victims, did not give the same advice to RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat. So he should give the same advice to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief before advising Uddhav Thackeray. Why did Upadhyay not give the same advice to Bhagwat? If the rally has to be cancelled, then the RSS should cancel it and give the lakhs of rupees spent to organise it, to flood victims instead”.