The central theme of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s address at the Dussehra celebrations of his Shiv Sena was largely around flood-affected farmers and the assistance he extended to them. In his speech, Mr. Shinde criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for “speaking in the tongue of Pakistan”. He suggested that the Shiv Sena (UBT) should have hosted their Dussehra Melava in Pakistan for criticising Operation Sindoor.
Mr. Shinde said Mr. Gandhi was speaking in the tongue of Pakistan, doubting the bravery of soldiers and asking how many Indian missiles and aircraft were shot down. “Is this your nationalism and patriotism? You have no ethical right to criticise us,” he said.
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Mr. Shinde invoked undivided Shiv Sena founder Late Bal Thackeray’s ideology of 80% social work and 20% politics and said, “Farmers’ plight is huge, their homes are damaged, farmland is washed out, and animals drowned due to heavy downpour and floods in the State. Our Shiv Sainiks (party workers) went to help, cleaned houses, and provided a survival kit.”
Dussehra melava is one of the annual events of Shiv Sena, hosted every year on the tenth day of the Navaratri festival in Mumbai, with party workers and ministers in attendance. Mr. Shinde praised Shiv Sainiks and criticised Shiv Sena (UBT), while addressing the crowd at the Nesco Centre in Mumbai’s Goregaon region.
