Uddhav Thackeray slams Shinde faction; demands freezing of ‘Bow and Arrow’ symbol
Mumbai, Sep 8 (IANS) Launching a scathing attack on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, Eknath Shinde, and his faction, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief, Uddhav Thackeray, on Tuesday endorsed senior advocate Kapil Sibal’s argument in the Supreme Court requesting the freezing of the undivided party’s iconic ‘Bow and Arrow’ election symbol if a final decision on the party’s identity is delayed any further.
Addressing a press conference, Thackeray justified Sibal’s stance, asserting that those who “stole” the party, its name, and its symbol should not be permitted to exploit stolen property to consolidate power and engage in misgovernance.
“Four years have passed in this legal battle. Two major elections, municipal elections, and Zilla Parishad polls have taken place while the case drags on from date to date. We are bearing the brunt of these delays. Their misuse of the symbol to retain power must be halted,” he remarked.
Thackeray added that his party holds the rightful claim to the name and symbol, reiterating that the current rulers are incapable of governance and that the dispute should never have arisen in the first place.
“We shouldn’t have had to fight a legal battle to retain our own name and symbol in the first place,” Thackeray stated.
Directing his ire at the Election Commission of India (ECI), he questioned its impartiality. “The ECI is scrutinising our party constitution, yet it turns a blind eye to bogus political parties—like the six entities sharing an office in Naroda holding over Rs 620 crore in assets. Is the ECI auditing their constitutions, or should we assume the Commission is a partner in those donations?”
Rebutting Eknath Shinde’s remark that freezing the symbol equates to “freezing Balasaheb Thackeray’s ideology,” Thackeray said, “Shinde and his associates are men with frozen minds. I won’t ask to send them to a cattle shed (gotha), because even livestock serve a purpose to humanity. These frozen-minded thieves have lost all moral right to speak on the Bow and Arrow.”
Beyond internal party matters, the former Chief Minister touched upon key public and political issues. Commenting on the nuisance caused by high-decibel DJ sound systems during festivals, Thackeray voiced support for restrictions, noting, “Everyone wants to celebrate festivals, but nobody wants intolerable noise pollution.”
Thackeray extended strong support to banning high-decibel DJ sound systems during major festivals like Ganeshotsav and Dahi Handi, advocating instead for traditional Indian musical instruments.
Drawing a historical parallel, Thackeray noted that Lokmanya Tilak transformed festivals into a mass movement for India’s freedom struggle, which later evolved into grand public celebrations. However, he cautioned that these celebrations should not degenerate into loud, disruptive noise.
“The sanctity of our festivals must be preserved; there is no need for utter chaos and noise,” Thackeray remarked. “Festivals are meant to bring joy to the public, not to cause distress. People want to celebrate, but they do not want the harassment that comes with extreme noise.”
Thackeray questioned the need for massive speaker stacks and complex decibel-monitoring protocols when traditional music instruments are readily available. He urged the administration to engage directly with festival committees (Ganeshotsav Mandals) and key stakeholders to establish clear time limits and reasonable guidelines through dialogue rather than coercion.
Taking a swipe at “Neo-Hindutva” proponents regarding controversial dance performances during Dahi Handi events, Thackeray asked whether such vulgarity aligns with their values, urging them to publicly clarify their stance on the matter.
On removal of PM Modi’s photographs by MNS activists in Pune college, Thackeray backed the decision to remove Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pictures alongside revered historical figures.
“Under no circumstances should the Prime Minister’s photograph be placed next to iconic national icons and great personalities,” he asserted.
–IANS
sj/rad
