Uddhav targets Shah Over Beef Eating Minister

Mumbai: Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday slammed Union Home Minister Amit Shah saying the latter should remove Kiren Rijiju from the union cabinet for eating beef.

While responding to Shah's criticism, Thackeray said that the BJP leader was not in a position to teach him Hindutva and should first look at the ministers in his own party. Referring to Rijiju’s statement about beef, Thackeray questioned Shah whether he would take action against such ministers.

“We don’t need to learn Hindutva from anybody. Amit Shah’s cabinet already has beef-eating ministers like Kiren Rijiju, so Shah must introspect. Kiren Rijiju, who is a minister in your cabinet, said that he eats beef. If you say you promote Hindutva, will you ask your beef-eating minister to resign?” Thackeray asked.

“When he welcomed a man involved in the murder of a sadhu into the BJP, what did he do to Hindutva? Amit Shah should examine his own Hindutva before teaching Hindutva to others,” Thackeray said.

He added, "Before speaking about me, you should look at the Hindutva within you and your party.”

The Sena UBT leader also questioned the actions of Jay Shah, Amit Shah’s son and ICC Chairperson.

“Amit Shah’s son, Jay Shah, makes India play with Pakistan. Now you tell me, is Jay Shah not a Hindutvawadi, which is why he makes [India] play with Pakistan?” he asked.

Last month, the saffron party stayed the induction of Kashinath Chaudhary, a local leader from Palghar, within hours of admitting him into the party. Chaudhary was the main accused in the 2020 Palghar mob lynching case, in which two Hindu sadhus ware brutally killed.

Chaudhary, who was earlier with the NCP (SP), joined the BJP on November 16 at Palghar making a big show of strength in the presence of top local party leaders. Fadnavis supported Chaudhary’s induction into the party saying the decision was taken at the local level by ascertaining all facts.