Eknath Shinde criticizes opposition over saffron terror remarks
Eknath Shinde
on Monday criticised opposition parties for coining the term "saffron terror," and said the public will show people who coined the phrase their place.
"When bomb blasts occurred during their tenure, they said that terrorism has no colour. But they coined the term saffron terror after the Malegaon blast," Shinde said.
At a religious assembly in Hingoli during the annual Kawad Yatra procession, Shinde accused opposition parties of forgetting their religion in pursuit of vote bank politics. "I am short of words to express anger. People will show their real place to those who coined the word saffron terror, called Hindus traitors," he said.
Shinde further said the saffron colour was adopted by Maratha King Shivaji Maharaj, the Warkari community of Maharashtra, and Lord Rama. "You call Hindutva's colour of saffron as that of terror. You sinned by terming saffron the colour of terrorism," he said. He added that those with an "allergy to saffron" have no right to identify as Indian. "Hindu is secular. It is an ideal style of living. Those who defamed it will face consequences," he added.
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The deputy CM also indirectly attacked Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, accusing him of abandoning the ideology of the late Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray and Hindutva to become chief minister. "We are not born with silver spoons in our mouths. But we are committed to bringing golden days into the lives of people of Maharashtra," Shinde said, adding that he had only freed Shiv Sena from Congress by executing operation 'taktha-palat' with the support of 50 MLAs.
Shinde also said he had utilised Rs 450 crore through the Chief Minister's relief fund during his two and a half years in office, in contrast to the alleged Rs 2.5 crore utilised by Thackeray as CM.
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