Shiv Sena deputy leader and spokesperson Sanjay Nirupam launched a scathing attack on Sena UBT, accusing Uddhav Thackeray’s faction of betraying Balasaheb Thackeray’s ideology and compromising Hindutva values in pursuit of Muslim votes.
Speaking at a press conference in Mumbai, Nirupam alleged that Sena UBT’s duplicity has caused widespread resentment within the Hindu community and claimed that the party no longer has the moral right to invoke Balasaheb’s name.
Referring to Sena UBT’s recent comments on the Waqf Board Amendment Bill, Nirupam said, “Their leaders argue that the Bill is unrelated to religion and merely pertains to real estate. They themselves acknowledge that the Waqf Board controls land valued at nearly Rs 2 lakh crore. This exposes their true intentions—it’s about property, not principles.”
He questioned whether the Sena UBT is now acting in the interest of these land holdings, suggesting ulterior motives behind their stance. “Muslim organisations openly backed Sena UBT during the elections. In return, they are now defending the Waqf Board under the guise of property rights,” Nirupam said. “Their refusal to challenge the Bill in court shows how vote-bank politics is being placed above national interest.”
Condemning what he called appeasement politics, Nirupam emphasized that land under the Waqf Board is part of the Indian state, and any irregularities involving it should be subject to legal scrutiny. “No one is above the law,” he said.
Nirupam also pointed to a recent revelation by Shiv Sena Minister Sanjay Shirsat that the town of Khuldabad was historically known as Ratnapur. “Why didn’t Uddhav Thackeray restore its original name during his 22-month tenure as chief minister under the Maha Vikas Aghadi government?” he asked. “This is yet another example of their attempt to appease the Muslim vote bank.”
Nirupam warned that Sena UBT will have to face the political consequences of such decisions in the upcoming elections.
