Maharashtra: Raut Slams Speaker’s Nod To Sena MPs’ Merger
MPs who were elected by the public under the party’s official ‘flaming torch’ symbol were bought over using money power: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut
MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday branded Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s move to approve merger of his six rebel party MPs with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena as ‘a rape and murder of democracy.’ He questioned how the Speaker could permit a split or merger when the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution does not allow for it.
Raut alleged that MPs who were elected by the public under the party’s official ‘flaming torch’ symbol were bought over using money power.
“MPs who got elected on the burning torch symbol (of Shiv Sena (UBT)) were bought. This is rape and murder of democracy and this is a serious offence. Those who executed this are serial killers and rapists of democracy,” he said without naming anyone.
Om Birla formally sanctioned the merger of a breakaway faction comprising six Lok Sabha MPs from Uddhav Thackeray’s camp into the ruling Shinde faction. Omraje Nimbalkar, Sanjay Jadhav, Sanjay Deshmukh, Sanjay Dina Patil, Nagesh Ashtikar and Bhausaheb Wakchaure were inducted into the party under the leadership of Eknath Shinde in Mumbai recently.
Calling these MPs shameless, Raut said, |Even the word traitor is too mild for them. This is akin to the rape and murder of democracy – much like the crimes currently occurring in the state. These MPs have been bought off for Rs 50 crore each. Today, people are struggling to find food, yet these MPs have been purchased.”
He further questioned how the Lok Sabha Speaker could permit this when the 10thSchedule of the Constitution (Anti-Defection Law) does not allow any split or merger under these conditions.
Reacting to Raut, BJP spokesperson Navnath Ban said Raut has betrayed the core ideology of the Shiv Sena and the stance of ‘Hinduhrudaysamrat’ Balasaheb Thackeray. “Therefore, he has no moral right to use words like 'murder' and 'rape.' The ideology of Hindutva will be further strengthened through the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Mahayuti alliance,” he added.
