Sena vs Sena | Supreme Court is the ‘only ray of hope’, says Uddhav Thackeray
The Hindu
After apex court’s remarks against former Governor Koshyari, Shiv Sena-UBT leader hits out at Shinde faction and the BJP
After the Supreme Court on Wednesday rapped former Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari for his role in the vote that toppled the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in 2022, Mr. Thackeray, the leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction said he firmly believed in justice while lauding the apex court as the “only ray of hope” in the ongoing tussle between the rival Shiv Sena factions.
Addressing workers of the three MVA parties (the Nationalist Congress Party or NCP, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress) following a meeting of the MVA leadership in Mumbai on Thursday, Mr. Thackeray launched a broadside against the ruling Eknath Shinde faction and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Also read: Victory of democracy, says Eknath Shinde; democracy dead, declares Uddhav Thackeray
“I have faith in the God of justice. The Supreme Court is the only ray of hope at this stage as the ruling power [BJP] has finished three of the four pillars of democracy, especially the press. Many journalists, instead of holding the kalam [pen] seem to be having the kamal [lotus, the BJP’s symbol] in their hands today,” the former Chief Minister quipped.
Remarking that the country today was at a political crossroads, Mr. Thackeray said the scenario was so dire that one either had go with the BJP or go to jail.
“If Modi is indeed the personification of India, then what is the point in chanting Bharat Mata ki Jai. It ought to be Modi Zindabad,” Mr. Thackeray said drily.
Hitting back at the Shinde group’s accusations that he had been a “resident” CM while heading the MVA government, Mr. Thackeray remarked that he had succeeded in achieving more during the pandemic than what Mr. Shinde and his rebel MLAs had been able to achieve despite their frantic dash to Guwahati (during the intra-party rebellion) and frequent visits to Delhi to meet the BJP’s top brass.
In 2021, five women from Mayithara, four of them MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) workers, found a common ground in their desire to create a sustainable livelihood by growing vegetables. Rajamma M., Mary Varkey, Valsala L., Elisho S., and Praseeda Sumesh, aged between 70 and 39, pooled their savings, rented a piece of land and began their collective vegetable farming journey under the Deepam Krishi group.