Following an attack on Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray's convoy on Saturday, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut alleged that 'Ahmad Shah Abdali (indirectly attacking Union Home Minister Amit Shah) of Delhi' is giving 'supari' to spread anarchy in Maharashtra.
“His (Uddhav Thackeray's) convoy was attacked at night. Your leaders take the 'supari' and stay silent, but you are made to fight against each other. This is not right for our state. I am not naming any party, but they are trying to mislead people as the Vidhan Sabha elections are approaching in Maharashtra,” Raut claimed on Sunday.
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Raut claimed that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis were aware of the attack but chose to hide and respond timidly. He implied that if these attackers had faced the Shiv Sena and the people of Maharashtra directly, they would have seen a different side of the state's resolve.
NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad tweeted three videos showing how police were helpless during the attack on Uddhav's convoy. He also said that the incident has defamed Maharashtra's political culture. While taunting Raj Thackeray, Awhad said, “You can criticise anyone but if someone criticises you then you will break their cars and will disturb their rallies. But remember power never remains forever.”
Responding to a question about the incident, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that the attack was a “reaction to action”. “It was a reaction to the action. I can't support such an act. This is not our culture of Maharashtra. Sena UBT had started first. They stopped Raj Thackeray's convoy in Beed and threw betel nuts. No one likes this act. Eventually, MNS workers reacted accordingly in support of their leader.” he added.
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MNS chief Raj Thackeray supported the attack saying that it was the reaction of the Beed incident. He criticised attempts to disrupt his Maharashtra Navnirman Yatra, claiming that disruptions in places like Dharashiv were unrelated to genuine Maratha reservation movements and were instead linked to Shard Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray factions. He labelled such disruptions as futile and expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of widespread condemnation of these tactics.
Thackeray also addressed recent incidents in Beed where a Shiv Sena (UBT) district president orchestrated a farce under the guise of a protest.