The warring factions of Shiv Sena engaged in a verbal duel during the party’s 57th Foundation Day celebrations on June 19 with Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde saying his rebellion “ensured the party’s survival” and former CM Uddhav Thackeray labelling Mr. Shinde’s supporters as “looters”.
Both strived to establish themselves as the ‘real’ protectors of Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray’s Hindutva legacy.
While Mr. Shinde addressed a massive gathering at NESCO Centre in Goregaon, Mr. Thackeray celebrated Foundation Day at Shanmukhananda Hall at Sion like every year.
“Looters have gathered in Goregaon to celebrate our party’s Foundation Day. Prime Minister Modi thinks he is like the sun, then why is he not shining over violence-battered Manipur? Why doesn’t he rise in Manipur?” said Mr. Thackeray and questioned Mr. Modi’s visit to the U.S. at a time when the northeastern State is “burning”.
He also hit out at former ally BJP and said, “The double-engine sarkar seems to have derailed in Manipur. Only one engine [referring to Union Home Minister Amit Shah] visited Manipur, where is the other one?”
On Hindutva, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said, “Our Hindutva did not tell us to be happy when BJP leaders are attacked in Manipur. In Kashmir or Manipur, if Hindus are attacked, then BJP’s Hindutva ideology has failed.”
Mr. Shinde too took aim at his former ‘boss’ over the issue of ideology. He called Mr. Thackeray a “traitor” for joining hands with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in 2019. “You can accuse us of anything, but you won’t get sympathy. You are a traitor to Balasaheb’s ideology,” he said.
During his address, the Chief Minister said that had he not rebelled against Mr. Thackeray in June last year, the party wouldn’t have survived till now, and vowed to turn Mr. Thackeray into “garbage”.
The Shiv Sena led by Mr. Shinde displayed massive hoardings and posters featuring his two mentors – late Bal Thackeray and late Anand Dighe. Shiv Sena (UBT)‘s hoardings featured photographs of Bal Thackeray, his son Mr. Thackeray and grandson Aaditya with the message: Nishtavanancha kutumbhshohala; Shiv Sena parivar jaga vegla (This is the gathering of unwavering loyalists; Shiv Sena family stands apart from the world).
This is the party’s first Foundation Day after the split last year when Mr. Shinde rebelled against then CM Thackeray, resulting in the downfall of the MVA government in Maharashtra.
