Adopting the Rahul Gandhi-style, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray took an apparent dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Speaking at a rally in Maharashtra’s Pandharpur, Uddhav Thackeray said, “Chowkidaar chor hai”.
However, the context was different from the Rafale fighter jet deal, on which most of the Congress attacks are focused. Recalling an anecdote of one of his tours across the state, Thackeray said he once met a farmer who showed him a pest-infested lime tree.
The news agency Press Trust of India quoted Uddhav Thackeray saying, “The lime tree is used to make pesticides. The farmer told me that for the first time in his lifetime, he had seen a lime tree getting infested. I had told him that now, days have changed. Security persons have become thieves.”
“Halli paharekarich chorya karaylaa laagale aahet. (Today, security persons have themselves become thieves),” Thackarey then added in Marathi.
At the rally, the Shiv Sena chief also referred to the Rafale issue, saying, “There have been several allegations over the Rafale fighter jet deal and I do not know how the Supreme Court has given a clean chit. But I know the Modi government has refused pay hike for jawans.”
It is to be noted that after the BJP’s setback in the recent round of assembly elections, the Shiv Sena had congratulated the voters in the heartland states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, saying they have made a “brave decision”.
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