Mumbai: Union minister Narayan Rane on Tuesday accused Shiv Sena faction chief Uddhav Thackeray of betraying Hindutva. The BJP MP also targeted Uddhav’s son Aditya Thackeray for joining Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in Maharashtra. Rahul Gandhi’s adverse remarks on Savarkar had sparked a political row, causing unease in relations between the Congress and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, which is an ally in Maharashtra. Rane said, “Does Uddhav Thackeray have the same respect for Savarkar that Balasaheb had. Who spoke against Savarkar (Gandhi)…Rahul Gandhi came to Maharashtra, hugged Aditya Thackeray and left (the state).” ”
He also hit out at Uddhav for forging an alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress in 2019, which led to the formation of the Maha Vikas Aghadi.
Rane said, “Uddhav Thackeray, who abandoned the Hindutva agenda and forged an alliance with NCP and Congress to become chief minister, should not utter the word Hindutva. He betrayed Hindutva.”
Rane, who started his political career as a Shiv Sena leader, later joined the Congress before quitting that party and joining the BJP.