Debunking his predecessor and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis’ claim that the latter was present at the Babri masjid demolition, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said on Saturday that Fadnavis might have gone to Ayodhya for his school or college picnic and ridiculed the former Chief Minister by saying that even if the latter had tried to climb the masjid, the structure would have collapsed under his weight.
Addressing a huge rally of Sena workers at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) in north-central Mumbai on Saturday night, Uddhav also came down heavily on the Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre for diverting the attention of the people from the crucial issues like inflation and attacks on Kashmiri pandits: "Why don't you speak on the crucial issues facing the country like inflation and attacks on the Kashmiri pandits? This is not our Hindutva. You are just trying to distract the public and the country."
Taking a pot shot at BJP leader Kirit Somaiya and Rana couple who have been security bythe central government, Thackeray said: “ People like Somaiya and Rana couple are being provided Z plus and Y plus security. Why are they providing security to Kashmiri pundits”.
Alluding to Fadnavis’ claim that he took part in Babri Masjid demolition, Uddhav said: “Fadnavis claims that the Shiv Sainiks did not take part in the demolition. He has says he had gone there at that time. I would like to know as to what was his age then? He(Fadnavis) might have gone to Ayodya for school or college picnic.. You suspect us and say that the Shiv Sainiks were not part of the Babdri demolition.
I would like to know what you have done for the country or even Hindutva?,” the Sena president asked Fadnavis.
Alluding to Fadnavis’ hefty body structure, Uddhav poked fun at the former chief minister; “You say you were present at Babri Masjid. If that is the case, even if you had tried to climb the Babri Masjid, the structure would have collapsed under your weight. Kar Sevaks present there would not have to waste their energy to bring down the structure”.
Ridiculing Fadnavis’ claim that the Sena had no role in the Babri Masjid demolition, Uddhav said: “Veteran BJP leader L K Advani went on record in a television interview that the youngsters who brought down the Babri Masjid were speaking Marathi. After the demolition, late Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray had taken responsibility for the demolition by saying: If Sainks have brought down the masjid, I am proud of them”.