Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday took a dig at Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray for taking the holy dip in Prayagraj during the now-concluded Maha Kumbh Mela.
“Rahul Gandhi and Uddhav Thackeray call themselves Hindus. If they are Hindus, then why didn’t they go to take a holy dip in the Kumbh Mela? There is a difference in the way these people talk and behave. More than 65 crore people took a holy bath in the Kumbh Mela,” said Shinde who along with the party ministers and leaders had gone to Prayagraj on Monday days after he was criticised by Shiv Dena UBT in the party’s mouthpiece in connection with alleged fixing and brokerage during his chief ministership in the state government.
Shinde’s jibe comes after Union Minister Giriraj Singh had criticised Uddhav Thackeray and Rahul Gandhi.
“Uddhav Thackeray is supporting Rahul Gandhi who is opposing and protesting against Veer Savarkar. Also, Rahul Gandhi and Uddhav Thackeray are people who have lost their way in politics,” he said.
Earlier, Former MLA from Hatkanangle constituency of Shiv Sena UBT Sujit Minchekar and MNS’s Hatkanangle district chief Gajanan Jadhav joined Shiv Sena in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
Shinde camp has launched the Operation Tiger wherein the party is welcoming the disgruntled leaders and workers from Shiv Sena UBT in particular and other parties.
Shinde targeted Uddhav Thackeray saying that ‘you cannot become a wolf by wearing a tiger’s skin.’
“Some people have lost their mental balance. They are now talking about breaking heads. But those who are in a situation like Asrani in the movie Sholay should not talk like that. You need to have strength in your wrist to challenge,” he said.
He added that Shiv Sena UBT lost the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections and now they will be defeated in the upcoming local body elections as well.
(IANS)
