Uddhav Thackeray Doubles Down On His 'Kalank' Jibe Against Fadnavis Even As BJP Warns Of Law And Order Situation

Even as he came under heavy attack and the state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule warned that the remark would trigger law and order situation in the state, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday not just reiterated his ‘kalank' (blot) remark against DCM Drvendra Fadnavis but went on to defend them.

While addressing a public meeting on Monday night in Nagpur, which is the home turf of Fadnavis, Thackeray had called him a blot on Nagpur. 

“What did I say wrong? You level corruption charges on people. Is it not tainting them? And then you induct such people in your cabinet. Why do you do so? I’m not pleased to say this. I had even compared raides conducted by the Enforcement Directorate with that of attacks mounted by Afzalkhan. Aren’t you tainting the leaders and their families by these raids?” Thackeray asked while addressing  a press conference at his residence Matoshree.

He also asked, “What is there in the word (kalank) to get so much angry about it?”

"I've shown what a 'kalank' is. Are you angry because of that?” Thackeray asked while justifying his remark..

While speaking in Nagpur on Monday, Thackeray had said, “Fadnavis is a ‘blot’ on Nagpur since he aligned with NCP despite asserting time and again that he wouldn’t do so ever.” Playing an old audio clip of Fadnavis stating that he would never join hands with the NCP, Thackeray had said that the BJP leader’s “no means yes”.

The BJP reacted sharply to Thackeray’s remarks. Fadnavis took to microbloigging site Twitter and said that Uddhav Thackeray is suffering from jaundice and hence is seeing everything tainted and advised the fromer CM to get himself  treated. He went on to explain, “When you accuse someone of utter wrongdoing and the share meals with him, that is a blot" (in an apparent reference to Sharad Pawar); when someone uses ‘Janab’ instead of ‘HinduhridaySamrat’ for Balasaheb Thackeray, that is a blot; when you share power with those cursing Veer Savarkar day in and day out, that is a blot; When those entrusted with the security of the state are given extortion targets, that is a blot; when a party worker places bomb in front of the house of an industrialist and you defend him asking whether he is  Bin Laden, that is a blot; when you make  money even from body bags that is a blot; when you hardly sit in the temple of democracy (legislature) for a couple of hours in two years and then give sermons to others on democracy, that is a blot.”

While BJP youth wing staged demonstrations and even tore posters and banners of Uddhav Thackera on Monday night, state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule, on Tuesday, said, “If Uddhav Thackeray keeps insulting Fadnavis, it might trigger a law and order situation in the state.”

Bawankule called the Shiv Sena (UBT) president a “tainted former chief minister and a tainted person”.

The state BJP president dared Thackeray to insult Fadnavis again, saying they will teach him a lesson wherever he goes by staging ‘jode maro’ (hit with footwear) protests.

Earlier in the day, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha took out a mock funeral procession of Thackeray in Sitabuldi area of Nagpur.
Union minister Nitin Gadkari too condemned Thackeray’s statement. “Leaders should exercise restraint while using words,” he said.

Gadkari stated that while Mr. Thackeray is entitled to discuss the developmental initiatives undertaken by the current government,  "but levelling personal allegations at such a low level does not suit the political culture of Maharashtra".

Leader of opposition in the state legislative council Pravin Darekar, who addressed a press conference at the state BJP headquarters in Mumbai said, “Uddhav Thackeray is a 'taint' for the Thackeray family, Thackeray surname and even the Marathi manoos in Maharashtra. Uddhav’s speech at Nagpur was a blot on the political culture of Maharashtra. He doesn’t discuss development in his speeches but only makes baseless statements like these.”

“You brought bad name for Balasaheb, you filled your house be controlling the Municipal Corporation, you should have given it a thought before accusing Fadnavis, you did nothing for farmers and sat at home during the 2.5 years when you were the chief minister,  you drove out your relatives and real Shiv Sena workers. Now you are left with only feeble touts. Real loyal Shiv Sainiks are with Eknath Shinde,” Darekar said addressing  Uddhav Thackeray.

BJP MLA Nitesh Rane said that Uddahv Thackeray had an image of a cultured leader, but with his latest expletives against Fadnavis, he has shown his level. 

Meanwhile, reacting to Thackeray’s justification of the expletive against him on Tuesday in Mumbai, Fadnavis said, “I’m pained to learn that our opponent and former friend Uddhav Thackeray has been deeply affected due to the present political situation in the state. The blow is so severe that he is likely to have to consult a psychiatrist now. One shouldn’t react when the person in front of you is going through such a fragile mental condition. I pity him. He should see a good psychiatrist as soon as possible.”