BJP vitiated social harmony, says Uddhav; calls Fadnavis ‘helpless CM'

Shiv Sena UBT leader Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday described Devendra Fadnavis as a ldquohelplessrdquo chief minister CM who has failed to curb ldquorampant corruptionrdquo under his watch news agency PTI reportedCiting the announcement of welfare schemes in pollbound Bihar the Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray chief appealed to the Centre to extend financial assistance to women in MaharashtraThackeray addressed gatherings of women and Shiv Sena UBT workers in Pune and also interacted with the media reported PTIAt an interaction organised by the Pune Union of Working Journalists Thackeray said the Sena UBT did not need a certificate on Hindutva from the Bharatiya Janata Party which he alleged was ldquocreating walls within the countryrdquoldquoIndia is a beautiful country It has a great culture However these people BJP have vitiated the entire atmosphere and made it hell These people have created walls within the country I have been working hard to prevent further deteriorationrdquo he saidldquoI have said time and again that the BJP cannot run governments in the state or at the Centre The Narendra Modi government has failed to address issues in Kashmir and Manipurrdquo the former Maharashtra CM allegedThackeray added that the BJP is taking the country on the path of dictatorship PTI reportedTargeting Fadnavis he said ldquoI dont consider anybody as an enemy not even the prime minister But considering the states current situation the chief minister looks lsquohatbalrsquo helpless despite BJPled Mahayuti having a brute majority Despite several instances of corruption the CM is helpless to act against corrupt individualsrdquoHe also alleged that the Fadnavis government had failed to support farmers affected by heavy rains and floodsResponding to criticism that he had abandoned the Hindutva fold after his alliance with the Congress and NCP SP in 2019 Thackeray claimed it was the BJP that had started the lsquoSaugate Modirsquo campaign to appease MuslimsldquoI do not require any certificate on Hindutva from the BJP My grandfather Prabhodankar Thackeray was a wellknown reformer Our Hindutva has been progressiverdquo he saidThackeray also criticised Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for ldquobig talksrdquo against Pakistan Singh had earlier asserted that the NDA government demonstrated through the 2016 surgical strike 2019 Balakot airstrike and the recent Operation Sindoor that India can cross any border whenever necessary to protect citizens and safeguard the nationrsquos unity and integrityAddressing a gathering of women Thackeray said the state government provided financial assistance during elections for two to three months merely to win votesldquoThis is cheating Ladki Bahins desperately need financial help I hope PM Modi will announce some aid during his upcoming visit to Maharashtrardquo he addedHe said the Centre acted promptly when Bihar needed financial assistanceldquoIf you are providing assistance do not restrict it to Bihar extend it to all women in the country These women are not paid votersrdquo he saidAddressing Sena UBT workers Thackeray called for expanding the party network by setting up ldquoshakhasrdquo or branch officesWithout naming Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde he said attempts to break the Shiv Sena will never succeedHe said the Sena UBT can win the upcoming local body elections in Maharashtra if it works hardldquoVote theft is the result of illegal voting Why cant we do the same thing that Rahul Gandhi ji has done Find bogus voters We won the Lok Sabha polls but lost assembly polls which were held shortlyrdquo he told party workersWith PTI inputs