Thu Feb 27 20:07:34 UTC 2025: ## Thackeray Slams Shinde as “Traitor,” Questions BJP’s Hindutva

**Mumbai, February 28, 2025** – Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray launched a scathing attack on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, reiterating his accusation that Shinde is a “traitor” who betrayed the party. Speaking at a Marathi Bhasha Gaurav Divas event in Mumbai, Thackeray used a colorful metaphor involving the Ganges river and alleged bribes (₹50 crore each, or “50 khokas”) to illustrate the permanence of Shinde’s betrayal, referencing Shinde’s recent visit to the Maha Kumbh.

Thackeray also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s past comments on divine origin, and criticized the BJP’s approach to Hindutva, questioning the shift from traditional Marathi greetings (“Ram Ram”) to “Jai Shree Ram.” He challenged the BJP’s “batenge toh katenge” (we will speak, and we will cut) rhetoric, highlighting the presence of Shameema Akhtar, who sang Marathi songs at a recent Delhi event attended by the Prime Minister.

The speech, which included a controversial reference to “Amruta” within a Marathi couplet, comes amid ongoing political tensions following the 2022 Shiv Sena split. Thackeray’s accusations against Shinde and his criticism of the BJP’s Hindutva ideology continue to fuel the ongoing political battle in Maharashtra.

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