Mumbai, February 14 – Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (SS-UBT) on Saturday criticized the BJP for criticizing Syed Iqbal's election as Mayor of the Parbhani Municipal Corporation, calling it "intellectual bankruptcy."
The Thackeray camp strongly defended Syed Iqbal's election, saying it was a reward for loyalty.
In a scathing editorial in the party mouthpiece, Saamana, in Maharashtra, it said that while many issues are being debated, the BJP and its "subservient group" are creating a stir over the appointment of a "Khan" in Parbhani. But this is a case of the BJP "hiding its own flaws while criticizing others."
The editorial strongly objected to "selective opposition," saying that the BJP has historically appointed Muslim leaders to high-ranking positions, including the presidency, governorships, and Supreme Court judgeships.
Within the Parbhani district itself, the BJP has 12 Muslim councilors, and the post of Vice-President in the Jintur Municipal Council was given to a Muslim woman, Mehmunnisa Pathan, yet they oppose a Marathi-speaking patriot like Syed Iqbal in Parbhani. The BJP must explain why Muslim leaders were invited to the stage during the RSS Centenary celebrations if they now oppose such representation.
"The BJP should explain why a 'Khan' was seated on the stage during the RSS Centenary celebrations. The country saw Adnan Sami, son of Arshad Khan, who bombed Pathankot in 1965, sitting on the shoulders of RSS leadership. While the RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat states that Hindus and Muslims are not separate and those who accept Indian culture are our own, BJP's 'younger lot' continues to incite religious conflict," claimed the Thackeray camp.
The editorial further defended the appointment by citing the historical contributions of Muslims to India's freedom struggle. It referenced the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, stating that 76 Muslims were among those killed, and emphasized that "none were shot in the back," symbolizing their unwavering commitment to the nation. While Muslim revolutionaries made countless sacrifices, those currently in power (BJP) didn't suffer a single scratch during the freedom movement, yet they act as self-appointed 'contractors' of Hindutva and patriotism, it said.
"While Hindus (1 per cent to 6 per cent) are safe in the US, UK, Australia, and Arab nations, the BJP claims that 85 per cent of Hindus in India are in danger under their own rule. The real danger to Hindus is from the BJP itself, as Hindutva has become a political business for them," alleged the Thackeray camp.
"Parbhani MP Sanjay Jadhav countered the BJP's 'Aurangzeb' jibe by noting that the BJP has previously formed alliances with the AIMIM in other municipal councils, such as Akot and Achalpur. According to him, whenever there was a need to take a stand for Hindutva, Bal Thackeray's Shiv Sainiks took to the streets," said the editorial.
The Thackeray camp argued that if people of other regions or religions work to keep the "Marathi flag" flying in Maharashtra, they should be welcomed. "However, the BJP's strategy is to induct "Aurangzeb, Afzal Khan, and Jaychand" into their own party for benefit while pointing fingers at others," it remarked.
The Thackeray camp's defence of Syed Iqbal's election in the editorial is a significant shift in Parbhani's "Khan vs. Ban" political narrative – a long-standing strategy of polarizing voters, now replaced by a reward for loyalty and "geographic politics" where nearly half of the house corporators are from the Muslim community.
