Maharashtra’s former Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday charged that democracy was at peril as the ruling BJP was conspiring to finish the Opposition and regional parties by “misusing” the investigation agencies like the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED).
In the second and concluding part of the interview published in his party’s official mouth-piece “Saamana” on the occasion of his birthday, Uddhav said that if the ruling BJP at the Centre appeared scared of the Opposition parties, it was because of its eroding strength.
Uddhav said that he agreed with the perception of chief ministers of Delhi and West Bengal Arvind Kejriwal and Mamata Banerjee and other opposition leaders that a conspiracy was in full-swing to “finish off” the Opposition and regional parties in the country.
Queried if democracy would survive in the country, Uddhav said: “Given the current political situation in the country, I also get a similar feeling. If the ruling BJP appears scared of the Opposition, it is because of its eroded strength. In a democracy, it is not necessary that one party – which could be Shiv Sena, Congress, BJP or any other party-- wins all the time. Victory and defeat are part of democracy. In fact that is the magic of democracy”. “I do not say that democracy in the country has been replaced by dictatorship. But many people in the country feel that the country is heading towards that direction. They feel that the country is heading in the wrong direction,” he said.
Recalling the late Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s statement that ‘Power comes and goes, but the country should remain’, Uddhav said: “ Till today many chief ministers have come and gone... I was the CM yesterday, I am not today and am sitting in front of you… What’s the difference? Power comes and goes... and returns, but it doesn’t matter to me”. Stressing on the need for all political parties to unite and work for the country, Uddhav said: “If we do not do so, we will be labelled as ‘enemies’ of our nation. There are several serious problems that like inflation, unemployment that are confronting the people”
Coming down heavily on the the Narendra Modi government on how it was “misusing” the central investigation agencies to harass the Opposition, arrest its leaders first and implicate them with allegations after allegations and defame them and ruin their careers in a “dirty and perverted manner”
Alluding to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari’s statement that the BJP was like a ‘washing machine’ which made people facing allegations as ‘virtuous’, Uddhav said: “This is not really the sign of a strong ruler, but one in fear”
Calling for unity among opposition parties, Uddhav said: “Like it happened during the emergency, the then Janata Party (1975-1977) did not even have election agents at polling booths, yet people of all classes voted for them overwhelmingly, and the party came to power. It is another that the Janata Party government collapsed later due to infighting”. “The first thing that is necessary to bring change in government is that the opposition parties should have the will to do so. They should come together and create awareness among people about the need for a change in government. We as the Shiv Sena are willing to be part of this exercise, we cannot go alone and all opposition parties in the country must join together for the struggle without making too many enemies. Together, we must ensure healthy politics,” he said.
Maintaining that the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress combine’s Maha Vikas Aghadi was a “successful experiment” and the government enjoyed the support of the people, Uddhav said: “There was nothing with the MVA experiment. The people have welcomed it. Many in the state cried when I left the chief minister’s official residence‘ Varsha’on June 22). I will not allow those tears go in vain,” he said.