On 26th March 2023, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) organised a rally in Malegaon town in the Nashik district of Maharashtra. A controversy surfaced in this regard as the banners and posters of the self-proclaimed Hindutva party in the Muslim-dominated town were printed in Urdu. Along with this, Uddhav Thackeray was designated as Ali Janab Uddhav Thackeray in these posters.
The banner reads, “Shivgarjana (meaning the roaring of Shiv) – Ali Janab Uddhav Saheb Thackeray – We have to fight until we win. Participate in millions to the valuable thoughts of the ideal leader – Shahid Channa of Shiv Sena Malegaon.” Apart from Uddhav Thackeray, the poster also had pictures of Balasaheb Thackeray, and Aditya Thackeray, along with other leaders. The rally is scheduled at 5 pm at the MSG ground in Malegaon.
Eknath Shinde, the chief minister of Maharashtra, questioned the former chief minister’s ‘Hindutva’ stand shortly after the Urdu poster for Uddhav’s rally appeared. Eknath Shinde said, “Such people don’t have the right to take the name of Hindutava. They even don’t hesitate while taking the name of ‘Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray.”
Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “Uddhav Thackeray has a rally today in Malegaon, and banners in Urdu were put up before the rally. We are not against any religion, Urdu is also a language and we are not against it. We only oppose those who are trying to please others like they (the Uddhav faction) are doing. Uddhav Thackeray will have to answer this to Balasaheb Thackeray sometime.”
Uddhav Thackeray had a rally today in Malegaon and banners in Urdu were put up before the rally. We are not against any religion, Urdu is also a language and we are not against it. We only oppose those who are trying to please others like they (Uddhav faction) are doing. Uddhav… pic.twitter.com/TWBlCfZli4
— ANI (@ANI) March 26, 2023
This is not the first time that the shiv Sena under the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray has overtly taken a Muslim-appeasing stance from its rally stages. Earlier, Shiv Sena leader Sushma Andhare was heard reciting Quranic verses from the stage of a Shiv Sena (UBT) rally.
ही ज्वलंत हिंदुत्वाचा वसा सांगणाऱ्या जनाब सेनेची सभा चालली आहे…
— Atul Bhatkhalkar (@BhatkhalkarA) November 22, 2022
अस्सलाम वालेकुम लाचारांनो… pic.twitter.com/mAXFD5AXs3
In the same speech, she also went on to preach how about the five founding principles of Islam. This was seen in sharp contrast to the Hindutva stance of Shiv Sena and its founder Balasaheb Thackeray.
