BJP slams Uddhav Thackeray over remarks on Patel community in Gujarat
Gujarat BJP spokesperson Dr. Rutvij Patel dismissed Mr. Thackeray's comments, stating that the Sena leader was unaware of Gujarat's political dynamics.
'Uddhav Thackeray does not know anything about Gujarat. Here, the BJP and the Patidar community (Patels) are two sides of the same coin. The BJP has given Gujarat three Patidar chief ministers and several state unit presidents,' Mr. Patel said.
He further pointed out that current Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and multiple ministers in the state government belong to the Patidar community. 'Mr. Thackeray should have done his homework before making such baseless remarks,' he added.
Another BJP spokesperson, Hitendra Patel, accused Mr. Thackeray of adopting the 'language of Congress' and attempting to create divisions.
'The Patidar community played a crucial role in the BJP's rise in Gujarat, and the party has equally contributed to the community's progress. Four state BJP presidents and three chief ministers—Keshubhai Patel, Anandiben Patel, and Bhupendra Patel—were from the Patidar community,' he said.
'It does not befit Mr. Thackeray to speak like Congress, which thrives on dividing people along caste and religious lines,' Mr. Hitendra Patel added.
Mr. Thackeray's remarks came during a rally in Mumbai celebrating the Maharashtra government's decision to withdraw two orders introducing Hindi in state schools from Class 1. He alleged that the BJP 'instigated' the Patels in Gujarat ahead of the 2017 assembly polls to polarize voters.
'What did they do in Gujarat? The atmosphere was such that Patels would defeat the BJP. But they provoked the Patel community, isolated them, and mobilized everyone else to win,' Mr. Thackeray claimed.
He further accused the BJP of employing similar tactics in Haryana and Maharashtra, alleging that the party incited Jats and Marathas, respectively, to consolidate other communities in its favor.
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