"We Don't Burn People Over...": Aaditya Thackeray Hits Out At BJP

Aaditya Thackeray, son of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, on Tuesday hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party and alleged that the ally of ruling Shiv Sena is "inciting riots" in the State.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said that their Hindutva is clearly defined and they do not believe in BJP's Hindutva.

"Our Hindutva is clearly defined. We don't burn people over what they eat. If that is the BJP's Hindutva, it is not acceptable to me, my father, my grandfather, and our people and not to Maharashtra," Mr Thackeray said while addressing a group of students at the Gitam University in Hyderabad today.

He said that the Ram Temple in Ayodhya is not being built because of the Central government.

"If you think that the Ram Temple is being constructed because of the Central government it is wrong. The Supreme Court has given the decision and not the Centre," he said.

He further alleged that the BJP backstabbed the then Shiv Sena in 2014.

"I am a Hindu and was a Hindu when the BJP had broken alliance with the Shiv Sena in 2014. The BJP backstabbed us in 2014. We were Hindus then, we are Hindus now. The BJP is inciting riots in the State today. What about the Kashmiri pandits? Why isn't the world's largest pro-Hindutva party speaking about the Kashmiri Pandits? Who are asking for transfers from Kashmir to safer places when Kashmiri Pandits are even being killed today," he said further.

"If the BJP was so careful about my grandfather's ideology, they would have not tried to finish up the party my grandfather built," Mr Thackeray said.

Asked about, who among Eknath Shinde and BJP, is a bigger threat to his party, the former Maharashtra minister said, that he doesn't think that Eknath Shinde is a threat at all. "We do not have any personal issues with the BJP," he added.

Aaditya Thackeray was on a day-long visit to Hyderabad and was accompanied by Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi.

Earlier in the day, he also met Telangana minister and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLA KT Rama Rao at T-hub.

Taking to Twitter, Mr Thackeray said, "Always fantastic and encouraging to meet @KTRBRS ji and connect over our common interests over sustainability, urbanism, technology and how it will help fuel India's growth. Visited the @THubHyd and witnessed the amazing work that's happened there for start-ups, innovators and ideators."

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