Uddhav Thackeray calls for Opposition's unity against public security bill

Hindustan Times

11 hours ago

Mumbai: After opposing the Mahayuti government's order to make Hindi the third language in schools, which was eventually revoked on Sunday, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has turned his focus towards the controversial Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of branding anyone who opposes it as 'anti-national' and 'urban naxal'. Mumbai, India. June 30, 2025: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray participated in the rally to oppose the public security act at Azad Maidan in Mumbai. MUmbai, India. June 30, 2025. (Photo by HT)
The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief on Monday participated in a protest against the bill at Azad Maidan, organised by left-wing parties such as the Peasants and Workers Party of India (PWP), the Communist Party of India (CPI), and the CPI (Marxist). Addressing a crowd of hundreds of people, he said that the draft of the bill has provisions for stringent action to suppress dissident voices, and urged the Opposition to maintain unity in its fight against the proposed law.
The Maharashtra government is likely to present the controversial Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, 2024, in the monsoon session of the state legislature, which began on Monday. A joint select committee of the state legislature has finalised a revised draft of the bill after amending key provisions following strong criticism from civil society and watchdog bodies, who claimed it could be misused by the state to silence dissent and target entities critical of the government.
The statement of objectives of the revised draft now states that the bill aims to curb 'urban naxal' activities, specifically 'unlawful activities by radical leftist organisations', rather than the earlier 'unlawful activities', by any person or organisation.
At Monday's rally, Thackeray slammed the BJP for calling anyone who criticised its policy anti-national or urban naxal. 'For the BJP, the leaders whom it accuses of corruption or having relations with anti-nationals suddenly become patriotic once they join the BJP. But if someone speaks against the BJP, they call them anti-national and urban naxal,' he said.
Thackeray also announced that his party would vote against the bill in the state legislature and expressed the need for the Opposition to be united while opposing the BJP despite its huge majority in the state legislature.
'Unity of all is important. We saw [on Sunday] how the BJP government was forced to revoke the order regarding making Hindi compulsory [in schools] due to the unity of the Marathi manoos (people). Though the Opposition parties will oppose the bill in the legislature, with the help of a huge majority, the BJP government will pass it. Even after that, we need to unite against the government to fight the battle against the bill,' he said.
Also present at the rally were Nationalist Congress Party (SP) MP Supriya Sule, state president Jayant Patil, and MLA Jitendra Awhad, who announced their opposition to the bill as well. Sule concurred with Thackeray that the Opposition should unite and be ready to oppose the proposed law, adding that she would be on the forefront if there's a need to go to jail over it.
NCP (SP) state president Jayant Patil, who was in the committee that revised the draft for the bill, said the panel had suggested important changes. However, whether or not the Mahayuti government has accepted the changes will be revealed only after it presents the bill in the state legislature, he added.