Uddhav Thackeray defends 'patriot' invocation instead of 'Hindu' one at INDIA alliance rally
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Monday hit out at BJP for criticising him over his opening remarks while addressing the INDIA bloc rally in Mumbai in the presence of Rahul Gandhi and other leaders of the Opposition. Thackeray had addressed the audience as his «deshbhakt and deshpremi brothers and sisters» instead of the traditional invocation of «Hindu brothers and sisters» at the Shivaji Park gathering in Mumbai.
Shivaji Park has been associated with rallies of Shiv Sena since the days of Bal Thackeray, who would begin his speech with «my Hindu brothers and sisters» phrase.
«BJP leaders criticised me over the opening sentence of my speech in the rally. But I want to ask them aren't they patriots?» Uddhav Thackeray said while addressing a rally in Vasmat in Hingoli district.
Thackeray said he used the «deshpremi» word because the INDIA bloc wanted to save the country and democracy.
«But some BJP leaders criticised me alleging that my language (read the Hindutva stand) has changed. I want to ask them aren't you patriots? Are you Modi bhakts or deshbhakts? We are deshbhakts and not Modibhakts,» he said.
Thackeray appealed to the people to stop the rath or chariot coming to their villages, an apparent reference to BJP's poll campaigning.
«If the administration doesn't act, people should take action,» he added.
Thackeray also criticised sitting Hingoli MP Hemant Patil, who won the 2019 Lok Sabha polls as the nominee of Shiv Sena (undivided) but recently joined the Eknath Shinde camp.
«Earlier, Shiv
