‘You sold Shiv Sena to Shinde’: Sanjay Raut slams Amit Shah for ‘praising Veer Savarkar and Balasaheb Thackeray’ joke against Rahul Gandhi | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Monday hit back at Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s comments asking Rahul Gandhi to “say something good about Balasaheb. Raut accused Shah and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of betraying Shiv’s legacy Founder of Sena Balasaheb Thackeray. He alleged that Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had once praised Thackeray but later ‘sold’ the Shiv Sena to Eknath Shinde, who Raut said had no connection with its formation.
“You sold Balasaheb Thackeray’s Shiv Sena. First you bought it and then you sold it to (Eknath) Shinde. You have no right to pronounce the name Balasaheb Thackeray,” Raut said.
“You sold our party to someone like Eknath Shinde, who had nothing to do with the formation of Shiv Sena. You sold it to him because he could tear down our MLAs… There is no need to show this fake love,” the spokesperson said. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader added.
Raut’s comments came in the wake of Shah’s speech at an election rally in Mumbai, where the Union Home Minister criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and his party for their stand on national figures including Thackeray and Veer Savarkar. Shah challenged Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray to ask Rahul Gandhi to praise both Veer Savarkar and Balasaheb Thackeray. “Can Uddhav Thackeray ask Rahul Gandhi to say something good about Veer Savarkar? Can a Congress leader speak to salute Balasaheb Thackeray? Shah noted, accusing the MVA (Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi) alliance of ideological contradictions, especially in their stance towards these leaders.
Shah’s comments included a direct attack on the Congress for its alleged appeasement policies and acceptance of demands for reservations for Muslim minorities. He also accused Gandhi of insulting the Indian Constitution and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, further escalating tensions between the BJP and Congress.
The ongoing war of words between the BJP and Shiv Sena (UBT) comes as Maharashtra heads towards the Assembly elections on November 20. The Shiv Sena split in 2022, when Eknath Shinde led a rebellion, joined the BJP and formed the new Shiv Sena. faction. In the upcoming elections, the MVA coalition, which also includes Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP, will challenge the ruling Mahayuti alliance, which also includes Shinde-led Shiv Sena and BJP.