Nagpur: In his bid to win back territory from Hindutva hardliners after being accused of abandoning the party’s core ideology, former Maharashtra chief minister and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackerayasked the ruling BJP on Tuesday why the country’s highest civilian honour, Bharat Ratna, had still not been conferred on Veer Savarkar. He was speaking to reporters in Nagpur after attending the winter session of the state Legislative Assembly on Tuesday. Swiftly deviating from the MVA’s secular line, this was Uddhav’s second attack on the BJP’s Hindutva credentials – earlier, he had questioned the Centre’s inaction over atrocities against Hindus in the Bangladesh.
“When Devendra Fadnavis was the chief minister, he had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to grant this honor to Savarkar. Even today he is the chief minister and his request was not heeded. The BJP therefore has no right to speak on Savarkar, I reiterate my demand that the highest honor of the nation be given to Savarkar,” Thackeray said.
Thackeray also called on the BJP and the Congress to move beyond the historical debates around Jawaharlal Nehru and Vinayak Savarkar and urged them to focus on critical development issues plaguing the nation. He stressed that political discourse should prioritize the well-being of citizens over ideological battles. “Both Nehru and Savarkar are historical figures who made their contributions. Today what we need is to focus on development, solve the problems of farmers, improve infrastructure and solve unemployment,” the former CM said. He criticized the tendency of political parties to engage in blame games, saying it distracts from pressing issues of growth and social protection.
Responding to a question on the Centre’s ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal, Thackeray called for a wider public debate and careful assessment of its impact on democratic structures. “Electoral reforms should strengthen democracy rather than create procedural complexities,” he said, adding that such measures must be implemented cautiously to ensure they do not undermine the country’s federal system. Thackeray also suggested that the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) should be chosen through an electoral process, rather than direct appointment by the government.
He reiterated his concerns about electronic voting machines (EVMs), pleading for a return to ballot papers to restore confidence in the electoral process. “If voting through ballot papers gives the same results as EVMs, why is there reluctance to go back to ballot papers? he asked, hinting at a broader issue of voter confidence in the system.
Thackeray’s criticism extended to the government’s environmental policies, accusing it of prioritizing urban projects over rural welfare. He specifically denounced plans to cut down 1,400 trees for the Metro Car Shed project and questioned whether the government had taken expert advice into account or acted solely to promote its own interests.
He described the state government as an unconstitutional regime that held power for two and a half years before what he described as an “inexplicable EVM verdict”. “There is no joy among the ruling parties despite their victory. Public protests continue and people are disappointed by the government’s failure to act,” he said.
Thackeray took aim at the leadership of the chief minister and deputy chief minister, alleging that searches and evidence were required to present the ministers, which he described as a travesty of governance. He sarcastically questioned whether they would keep their positions or “use their chairs to manipulate others.”
Thackeray also criticized the handling of women’s safety and law and order, citing growing concerns over ineffective governance. He noted that the legislative session was turning into a “joke of democracy” due to the government’s failure to meaningfully address critical issues. Turning his attention to farmers, Thackeray highlighted the government’s failure to deliver on its promises, especially on fair prices for soybean and cotton. “Farmers are angry because they have been repeatedly abandoned,” he said.
“What we do now is what matters. Enough of pointing fingers, let’s act,” concluded Thackeray, urging political parties to prioritize governance, instead of engaging in ideological or procedural.