Uddhav targets BJP's 'Ek hai' slogan, says temples unsafe in India, Bangladesh

Mumbai, Dec 13 (PTI) Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday sought to corner the BJP over Hindutva and said the party-led central government should inform Parliament what steps it is taking to protect Hindus in Bangladesh, where minorities have faced violent attacks.

Addressing a news conference in Mumbai, Thackeray slammed the BJP, saying its Hindutva is only for votes.

The former CM referred to a notice issued by the Railways to demolish a Hanuman temple outside Dadar station and said a "fatwa" (edict) has been issued to bring down the 80-year-old shrine built by loaders.

Taking a dig at the BJP over its "Ek hai toh safe hai" (united, we are safe) slogan, widely used during campaigning for the last month's assembly polls, he said even temples are not safe under the regime of the national party.

Hitting back, state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule said those who abandoned Hindutva for power and allied with the Congress are now talking about the safety of Hindus.

Dubbing Thackeray's Hindutva as "bogus", Bawankule said it was during his tenure as chief minister that two sadhus were lynched by a mob in adjoining Palghar district (in April 2020) and the entire state saw his "anti-Hindutva" stand.

At his press meet, Thackeray further said temples are being vandalised in Bangladesh, where Hindus and other minority groups have faced violent attacks after the ouster of then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5.

Sheikh Hasina is safe in India, where she fled amid violent protests in Bangladesh, but what about Hindus in the neighbouring country? Thackeray asked.

"PM Modi should inform Parliament about steps India is taking to protect Hindus in Bangladesh," maintained the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader.

Thackeray, whose party faced a severe drubbing in the state assembly polls, said while the BJP accuses his party of abandoning Hindutva, temples are not safe in India as well as Bangladesh.

"The Centre should tell what steps are being taken (to stop attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh). They (the government) should keep all discussions aside (in Parliament) and discuss this issue (attack on Hindus)," he emphasised.

Parliament is currently having its winter session.

If the PM stopped the Russia-Ukraine war, he should also stop atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh, he maintained.

"The BJP gave a slogan of 'batenge toh katenge' (divided we will be destroyed) which is why Hindus voted for you (in state polls). But Hindus are being attacked in Bangladesh," Thackeray pointed out.

The former CM said despite requests, Modi has not been able to give time to Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs to discuss the matter with him.

Attacking Thackeray, state BJP president Bawankule said when the Centre enacted the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the Shiv Sena (UBT) took a timid stand.

The Act seeks to grant Indian citizenship to persons belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities on ground of religious persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

He said for the BJP, Hindutva is not just politics, but a matter of faith.

The state BJP president said when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar, the Shiv Sena (UBT), an ally of the grand old party, did not utter a single word of condemnation.

Shiv Sena spokesperson and MLA Sanjay Shirsat said Thackeray is reverting to Hindutva because the Congress does not need the Shiv Sena (UBT) anymore, but it was too late for course correction as "much water has flowed under the bridge". PTI