After taking a ‘secular’ turn due to forming the coalition government along with Congress and NCP, Shiv Sena has sought to turn back towards Hindutva after that position was threatened to be taken over by his cousin Raj Thackray. An editorial published in the party mouthpiece “Saamana” on Saturday said that the party had never shed its saffron color. The party also said that Muslim infiltrators from Bangladesh and Pakistan should be “driven out” of the country.
The party’s comments come at the backdrop of a jibe by his cousin Raj Thackeray, the President of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), who claimed that Shiv Sena had changed its colours to form a coalition government.
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Shiv Sena took a dig at Raj Thackeray for the ideological shift of MNS towards “Hindutva.” It stated that dealing with “Hindutva” is not a “child’s play.” On Thursday, Raj Thackrey unveiled a new saffron-coloured flag for MNS that bears ‘rajmudra,’ a royal seal used by Maratha warrior King Shivaji. Saamana alleged that the presence of two flags reflected the “confused state of mind” of Raj Thackeray.
The party also suggested that Raj Thackeray should stay firm with Hindutva, even if it has been borrowed from Shiv Sena. They added that MNS is unlikely to get any political leverage from it as Shiv Sena had never shed their “saffron colour.” The editorial also slammed Raj Thackeray for his doublespeak on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). It also stated that the “Marathi identity” espoused by MNS did not get the votes because Sena has done a lot for the community.
“The Shiv Sena had already done a lot of work on the issue of Marathi. Hence MNS did not get any response from Marathi people. There is a criticism that Raj Thackeray has turned towards Hindutva as BJP wanted it. But MNS is unlikely to achieve anything on this front also as the Shiv Sena has done a lot work on Hindutva across the country,” the editorial said.
They reiterated that Shiv Sena had not changed its political leaning, despite joining hands with his political rivals. They have also criticised the BJP for allegedly breaking its pre-poll alliance (the decision to share the Chief Ministerial post) with the Sena. The editorial also took a dig at BJP saying that they can form governments with anyone like Mehbooba Mufti, but when Shiv Sena allies with Congress and NCP, it becomes a sin.
Fre days ago CM Uddhav Thackeray had also said that he has not changed his ideology despite changing allies. “I have chosen a new political path by taking along old political rivals as allies. I have not changed my colour, my core (Antarang). It continues to remain saffron,” he had said on Thursday after he was accused of leaving Hindutva for the sake of power.
“Although the ideologies of the three parties (NCP-Sena and Congress) are different, there is a consensus among them that the government will be run for the welfare of the people. What the BJP could not do in five years, the MVA government had achieved in 50 days,” it said. “BJP changed its colour in 2014 and 2019. Now since Shiv Sena is not going to change despite being in alliance with Congress and NCP, a conspiracy has been hatched to divide the Hindutva votes,” the editorial further added.