Uddhav Thackeray, chief of Shiv Sena (UBT), launched an attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that he should inform Parliament about the steps the Indian government is taking to protect Hindus in Bangladesh. The attack by Uddhav drew a sharp response from the BJP state president, Chandrashekhar Bavankule, as he stated that Uddhav does not have the stature to say anything about Prime Minister Modi.
Addressing a press conference at his residence Matoshree in Mumbai, Thackeray slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party, saying its Hindutva is only for votes. Drawing attention to the attack on Hindus, temples and priests of organisations like ISKCON, he said that temples are being vandalised in Bangladesh, and minority Hindus have faced violent attacks in the last few months. Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is safe in India, but what about Hindus in the neighbouring country? Thackeray asked. "PM Modi should inform Parliament about steps India is taking to protect Hindus in Bangladesh," Thackeray said.
He also said that railways have sent a demolition notice to a 80-year-old temple in Dadar, built by porters who work at the railway station. "So the BJP government is trying to demolish a temple. CIDCO is also eyeing temple land. Whom will it be given to? This is their Hindutva. Modi said ‘Ek Hai Toh Safe Hai’ during the election campaign and now they want to demolish temples," said Thackeray.
He also questioned why the Indian cricket team played cricket with Bangladesh when violent attacks on Hindu minority were taking place in that country. "Our MPs went to meet him yesterday to raise these issues but they were denied a meeting," informed Thackeray.
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Reacting to Uddhav's attack on Modi, BJP state president Bavankule said that people knew by now that Uddhav's love for Hindutva is totally fake; he joined hands with Congress just for power. "When priests were murdered in Palghar people saw your anti-Hindutva position. Our government is solidly supporting Hindus in Bangladesh. That is why the CAA was passed. But that time your people kept quiet in Rajya Sabha as they were afraid of Congress expressing anger. Uddhav neither has the right nor the stature to say anything to Prime Minister Modi," said Bavankule.