Uddhav Thackeray backs activist Sonam Wangchuk; Eknath Shinde talks flood relief

Mumbai: Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday came out in support of Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk, alleging he was jailed for questioning "injustice." Addressing the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray Sena's annual Dussehra rally at Dadar, he hit out at the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in Maharashtra for "making laws to jail those who question them."

"People who are fighting the government are being sent to jail. In Maharashtra, the state government has brought in the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, 2024 - we will not allow this law to be implemented. Sonam Wangchuk is a patriot, he has done much for our soldiers by building temperature-controlled accommodation in Ladakh and arranging water there. Till yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was praising him, but as soon as he raised his voice for justice, he was jailed," Thackeray said.

He alleged that unrest in Ladakh was the outcome of the government's refusal to listen to people. "He (Wangchuk) was fasting, but the government ignored him. People got angry, and now they have put NSA on him. They are claiming he went to Pakistan in a delegation - if that is the case, what should we call Modi, who slyly went to meet Nawaz Sharif in Pakistan?"


Thackeray described the BJP as an "amoeba," saying it shape-shifted when convenient. He also questioned RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on why BJP leaders were indulging in "Hindu-Muslim politics." "The BJP leaders are calling Lt Col Sofia Qureshi a sister of Pakistan. Is this our Hindutva? The PM says we must tie rakhis with Muslim sisters, then they honour Bilkis Bano's rapists and say Batenge toh Katenge. Decide which way you want to go," he said.

He further warned that his party would hit the streets if farmers were not given a relief package.

Shinde assures relief to farmers before Diwali

Meanwhile, at the rival Shiv Sena's Dussehra rally in Goregaon, CM Eknath Shinde assured farmers of a financial package before Diwali. Without naming Uddhav, he said, "Our Sena workers are providing relief to farmers in Marathwada who lost everything in the floods, while some work from home or travel in vanity vans."