Mumbai Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday said that Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will not be able to read Sharad Pawar's mind even after 100 births and took aim at Union Minister Amit Shah , prompting a response from BJP's Ashish Shelar.
While Raut mocked Shah for his visit to Mumbai's Lalbaugcha Raja Ganesh idol, Shelar demanded an apology from Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, alleging that the former chief minister had stopped public celebrations during the Ganesh festival citing the COVID-19.
Raut's comments against Fadnavis came days after deputy CM claimed that NCP (SP) Sharad Pawar had shortlisted three to four names for the CM's post ahead of the state elections, but Thackeray was not one of them. Opposition partners Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), Congerss, Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), have said they will contest as a single unit in the Maharashtra elections, which are likely to be held in October or November.
Talking to reporters here, Raut said, “In 2019, did Fadnavis know what Sharad Pawar was thinking and planning? Even if he is born 100 times, Fadnavis will not be able to understand what is going on in Sharad Pawar's head. If there is any courage left in the ruling administration in the state, they should call elections.”
Sharad Pawar was instrumental in setting up the MVA to keep the BJP, then the largest party, out of power after the 2019 state elections. Raut alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah orchestrated splits in the parties in Maharashtra and "even within the families that lead these parties."
The allegation came in the wake of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's recent statement that society disapproves of people who break up their families.
Ajit Pawar made the statement during a rally in Gadchiroli, where he tried to dissuade Bhagyashri, daughter of party leader and state minister Dharmarao Baba Aatram, from crossing over to Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP). Raut said: “Who broke political parties and families (in Maharashtra)? Modi and Shah caused divisions in political parties and even families. They (CM Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar) were victims of it. “They should admit that they were threatened, pressured or induced to defect from their parties.”
Be it the undivided Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray or Sharad Pawar's NCP, both parties gave ample opportunities to Shinde and Ajit Pawar for many years but chose to defect, the Rajya Sabha MP claimed.
He criticized Shah for Manipur, accusing him of neglecting the northeastern state and his visit to Mumbai “Despite the fresh attacks in Manipur and the continued suffering of women, the union home minister is here in Mumbai. He (Shah) should go to Manipur, Jammu and Kashmir. What business does he have in Mumbai? He should show courage to visit Manipur,” the Sena (UBT) leader said.
At least seven people have been killed and more than 15 injured in incidents of violence in Manipur in the last five days.
Referring to Shah's visit to Lalbaugcha Raja, Raut said: “We must be careful as they might relocate Lalbaughcha Raja to Gujarat like they did with major industrial projects, institutions and organisations... Is their plan to weaken Maharashtra and support those? Who loots the state? This is not the Home Minister's job, but he does it.”Mumbai BJP chief and MP Ashish Shelar responded to Raut's jibes.
Shelar said Thackeray, as then CM, broke the age-old tradition of public celebration of Ganesh festival during the COVID-19 outbreak.
“You were the one who separated the devotees of Ganesha from her beloved Bappa. Therefore, Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut must apologize to Lalbaugcha Raja and all Ganesh devotees,” he said. Asking Raut to stop “publicly displaying his ignorance”, the BJP leader said he had crossed all limits of decency in criticizing Shah, who has been visiting Mumbai to seek blessings from Lalbaughcha Raja even when he was not a Union minister.
Shah was not even the BJP president when he was traveling to Mumbai to seek Bappa's darshan, Shelar said, calling Raut's comment on “Lalbaucha Raja's relocation” ridiculous.
"Raut seems to have forgotten that during Uddhav Thackeray's tenure as chief minister, the over 125-year-old tradition of 'Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav' was broken," he said. Devotees were not allowed to take darshan of Lalbaugcha Raja, the BJP leader said. “Today, you may have forgotten that it was Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray and your Sena who conspired to stop Ganesh mandals from celebrating this festival forever. . The people of Maharashtra are still angry and have not forgotten,” he claimed.
Shelar also criticized Raut for his comments against Fadnavis.
“It is you who are interested in knowing what is going on in your head... It is not our custom. The work done by Devendraji as an activist, volunteer and leader is immense and will guide Maharashtra on the path of progress in the years to come," Shelar said. No one in the BJP is interested in knowing what is going on in someone's head, he said.
"You have a habit of spying on other people's houses to find out what's cooking there," Shelar added.
While Raut mocked Shah for his visit to Mumbai's Lalbaugcha Raja Ganesh idol, Shelar demanded an apology from Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, alleging that the former chief minister had stopped public celebrations during the Ganesh festival citing the COVID-19.
Raut's comments against Fadnavis came days after deputy CM claimed that NCP (SP) Sharad Pawar had shortlisted three to four names for the CM's post ahead of the state elections, but Thackeray was not one of them. Opposition partners Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), Congerss, Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), have said they will contest as a single unit in the Maharashtra elections, which are likely to be held in October or November.
Talking to reporters here, Raut said, “In 2019, did Fadnavis know what Sharad Pawar was thinking and planning? Even if he is born 100 times, Fadnavis will not be able to understand what is going on in Sharad Pawar's head. If there is any courage left in the ruling administration in the state, they should call elections.”
Sharad Pawar was instrumental in setting up the MVA to keep the BJP, then the largest party, out of power after the 2019 state elections. Raut alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah orchestrated splits in the parties in Maharashtra and "even within the families that lead these parties."
The allegation came in the wake of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's recent statement that society disapproves of people who break up their families.
Ajit Pawar made the statement during a rally in Gadchiroli, where he tried to dissuade Bhagyashri, daughter of party leader and state minister Dharmarao Baba Aatram, from crossing over to Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP). Raut said: “Who broke political parties and families (in Maharashtra)? Modi and Shah caused divisions in political parties and even families. They (CM Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar) were victims of it. “They should admit that they were threatened, pressured or induced to defect from their parties.”
Be it the undivided Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray or Sharad Pawar's NCP, both parties gave ample opportunities to Shinde and Ajit Pawar for many years but chose to defect, the Rajya Sabha MP claimed.
He criticized Shah for Manipur, accusing him of neglecting the northeastern state and his visit to Mumbai “Despite the fresh attacks in Manipur and the continued suffering of women, the union home minister is here in Mumbai. He (Shah) should go to Manipur, Jammu and Kashmir. What business does he have in Mumbai? He should show courage to visit Manipur,” the Sena (UBT) leader said.
At least seven people have been killed and more than 15 injured in incidents of violence in Manipur in the last five days.
Referring to Shah's visit to Lalbaugcha Raja, Raut said: “We must be careful as they might relocate Lalbaughcha Raja to Gujarat like they did with major industrial projects, institutions and organisations... Is their plan to weaken Maharashtra and support those? Who loots the state? This is not the Home Minister's job, but he does it.”Mumbai BJP chief and MP Ashish Shelar responded to Raut's jibes.
Shelar said Thackeray, as then CM, broke the age-old tradition of public celebration of Ganesh festival during the COVID-19 outbreak.
“You were the one who separated the devotees of Ganesha from her beloved Bappa. Therefore, Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut must apologize to Lalbaugcha Raja and all Ganesh devotees,” he said. Asking Raut to stop “publicly displaying his ignorance”, the BJP leader said he had crossed all limits of decency in criticizing Shah, who has been visiting Mumbai to seek blessings from Lalbaughcha Raja even when he was not a Union minister.
Shah was not even the BJP president when he was traveling to Mumbai to seek Bappa's darshan, Shelar said, calling Raut's comment on “Lalbaucha Raja's relocation” ridiculous.
"Raut seems to have forgotten that during Uddhav Thackeray's tenure as chief minister, the over 125-year-old tradition of 'Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav' was broken," he said. Devotees were not allowed to take darshan of Lalbaugcha Raja, the BJP leader said. “Today, you may have forgotten that it was Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray and your Sena who conspired to stop Ganesh mandals from celebrating this festival forever. . The people of Maharashtra are still angry and have not forgotten,” he claimed.
Shelar also criticized Raut for his comments against Fadnavis.
“It is you who are interested in knowing what is going on in your head... It is not our custom. The work done by Devendraji as an activist, volunteer and leader is immense and will guide Maharashtra on the path of progress in the years to come," Shelar said. No one in the BJP is interested in knowing what is going on in someone's head, he said.
"You have a habit of spying on other people's houses to find out what's cooking there," Shelar added.
