Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday seized on Congress leader P Chidambaram's remarks and said the UPA government's decision not to strike Pakistan after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack "under someone's pressure" amounted to "treachery".
Speaking at the annual Dusshera rally of the Shiv Sena in Mumbai, Shinde also targeted Uddhav Thackeray, head of the rival faction, accusing him of working against his own party colleagues.
"Hundreds of people died (in the 2008 terror attack), and under someone's pressure, you (the UPA government) did not attack Pakistan. This is helplessness and cowardice. This is dishonesty with the country. It is treachery with the people of India," Shinde said, referring to Chidambaram's recent statement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the armed forces responded strongly to the Pahalgam terror attack, he said, noting, "Blood was met with blood and cannons responded to bullets." Modi taught a tough lesson to Pakistan, sending out a message that no other country would come in between India and its neighbour, the Shiv Sena chief said. "It was only Modi who could say it, and we should be proud of it," he added.
In a recent podcast, former Union minister Chidambaram suggested that he favoured military retribution following the 26/11 terror attack, but the UPA government eventually decided against such a move. He also noted that world powers, including the US, wanted India to not start a war.
"Who is Pakistan before us? A jackal cannot become a lion just by wearing its skin," Shinde further said, adding, " A lion is always a lion, and Prime Minister Modi is like a lion." Targeting the rival Shiv Sena (UBT), Shinde taunted that its Dusshera rally should have been held in Pakistan.
"Your rally should have been held in Pakistan and you should have invited Pakistan army chief Asim Munir as chief guest," he said, claiming that the Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena questioned the valour of the Indian armed forces and "spoke Pakistan's language." Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders had said earlier that Shinde should hold his party's rally in neighbouring Surat and invite Amit Shah as chief guest.
"Our rally is in India, and if it is held in Surat, we will not hesitate to invite Union Home Minister Amit Shah. You have no moral right to criticise us," Shinde told the rival faction.
He also accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of echoing Islamabad's position.
Without naming Uddhav Thackeray, Shinde accused him of working against his own party colleagues.
"How can he be a leader when he relentlessly works to suppress his own party colleagues? Is there any such leader in other political parties who acts against his own party leaders?" asked Shinde, who parted ways with Thackeray in 2022, splitting the Sena.
"He always termed whoever left the party as garbage, but will he ever introspect?" the deputy CM asked.
The UPA government was corrupt, Shinde said, adding that after becoming PM, Modi ensured that all corrupt people went to jail.
He also announced that the BJP, Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP will contest all coming local body elections as an alliance.
Talking about the heavy rains and floods which have caused massive damage in many parts of Maharashtra, the deputy CM said marriages had to be postponed due to the natural calamity. "Shiv Sena will take care of these weddings," he assured.
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