Mumbai, July 14 (IANS) In a sharp escalation of the political war of words in Maharashtra, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday has thrown a direct challenge to Shiv Sena-UBT Chief Uddhav Thackeray, asking him to recite or at least read two pages of the ‘Ram Raksha Stotra’ (a sacred hymn dedicated to Lord Ram).
The remarks come after Thackeray announced a ‘Ram Raksha’ agitation in Nagpur on July 18 to keep the alleged irregularities in the Ayodhya Ram Mandir construction in the limelight, following a similar protest in Mumbai.
Expressing strong disapproval of using Lord Ram’s name for political agitations, Chief Minister Fadnavis, while speaking to reporters, questioned Thackeray’s credentials to lead such a protest.
“My only expectation is that Uddhav Thackeray should read at least two pages of the Ram Raksha. It is not right to stage political agitations in the name of Lord Ram. Even last time, Thackeray could not read the Ram Raksha. If he is ready, I am willing to recite it with him. I know the entire Ram Raksha by heart. Even if one doesn’t know it by heart, they should at least be able to read it. What kind of protest is this where you launch a ‘Ram Raksha’ agitation but cannot even read the hymn?” the Chief Minister asked.
He also dismissed Thackeray’s recent criticism regarding the treatment of activist Sonam Wangchuk.
The Shiv Sena-UBT Chief had recently said that Wangchuk’s intellect should be utilised for the country, but instead, the Union government was labelling such individuals as traitors and jailing them.
Thackeray also revealed he had called Wangchuk to express concern over his deteriorating health, claiming the Union government did not care.
Responding to Uddhav Thackeray’s statement, Chief Minister Fadnavis labelled Thackeray a “hopeless and frustrated” individual.
“Uddhav Thackeray is a dejected, disappointed, and frustrated person. His political existence is fading. Whether it is Sonam Wangchuk or any other issue, he only speaks out of sheer frustration,” the Chief Minister retorted.
Earlier, weighing in on the matter, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde characterised Thackeray’s actions as delayed wisdom and accused his party of playing low-level politics.
“This is wisdom dawning late on Uddhav Thackeray,” Deputy Chief Minister Shinde said.
“Their (Shiv Sena-UBT) party’s situation is like running to extinguish a fire on a distant mountain while their own house is burning. Regarding Sonam Wangchuk’s protest, the UBT faction instinctively supports anyone protesting against the government. Their people constantly remind everyone of uprisings in Sri Lanka, Nepal, or Bangladesh. They are just looking for a way to bake their own political bread using these protests.”
Apart from the Thackeray conflict, Chief Minister Fadnavis also countered Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s recent social media posts on X regarding exam paper leaks.
The Chief Minister said that the Maharashtra government and police took proactive action and caught the culprits before the exam could take place, which is why the exam was postponed.
“I don’t know if Rahul Gandhi tweeted this from India or abroad, as he is often travelling. The questions he raised have already been answered. The arrested criminals turned out to be part of an interstate gang operating in other states as well. In fact, our government’s timely action saved examination papers in other states from being leaked. Rahul Gandhi should look at his own party and governments before lecturing us. The next exams will be conducted properly, and the dates will be announced soon,” he asserted.
Chief Minister Fadnavis also elaborated on the expansion of the state’s loan waiver scheme, highlighting a historic first for Maharashtra’s farmers.
“For the first time in the state’s history, farmers who were deemed ineligible in previous consecutive loan waiver schemes are being made eligible for relief up to Rs 50,000. Following a delegation led by ruling party MLA Randhir Savarkar, the state government decided to extend the debt waiver benefit up to Rs 2 lakh for eligible farmers. The previous mandatory condition requiring farmers to clear specific dues from 2026–27 to receive incentive benefits has been completely scrapped,” he noted.
–IANS
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