Ex-CM Thackeray counters dynastic politics charge made by top BJP leadership

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief, Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday strongly countered the charge of dynastic politics levelled by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, against him and other Opposition leaders.

Daring the top BJP leadership to talk about their lineage, the former Maharashtra Chief Minister said he was proud to talk about his family’s contribution to society.

“Basically, I don't need to tell you about my family. My father, my grandfather, great grandfather, great great grandfather were all in public service. Everyone made sacrifices for the welfare of the people,” he said at a mass outreach programme at Ralegaon Village, Yavatmal District in Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region.

“Everyone has seen what I did during the Coronavirus pandemic. My grandfather's father Sitaram Thackeray did great work during the plague epidemic. At that time our family was living in Panvel. There was a plague in our country and people were dying due to it.

“In those difficult times, there was no one to carry dead bodies. At that time, Sitaram Thackeray carried the dead bodies. In the end, he also got plague and died. This is the history of the Thackeray family,’’ said the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief while rebutting the charge of nepotism.

He was responding to HM Shah’s swipe at him at a recent rally he addressed in Jalgaon District in North Maharashtra that Uddhav Thackeray wants to make his son (Aaditya) the Chief Minister, instead of a Shiv Sainik, while NCP(SP) chief Sharad Pawar is keen to make his daughter Supriya Sule the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

“Aaditya can only become Chief Minister with the people’s blessings. These people accuse me before the Lok Sabha polls, but one cannot become the Chief Minister by contesting the general elections. If the people do not vote for the Assembly, no one can become the Chief Minister. The post of Chief Minister is not the post of BCCI Secretary (referring to Jai Shah),’’ said the senior leader.

He further added, “If you are going to talk about our children, why don't we talk about yours.”