By Puja Mehrotra
Has Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction) changed its Hindutva stance after parting ways with the BJP? Is there a difference between Balasaheb Thackeray’s Hindutva and Uddhav Thackeray’s vision of it? Balasaheb envisioned a Hindu Rashtra, but is imagining a Hindu Rashtra today the same as creating a “Hindu Pakistan”?
Recently, during the discussion on the Waqf Amendment Bill in the Rajya Sabha, MP Sanjay Raut accused the BJP of trying to turn India into a “Hindu Pakistan,” which sparked significant controversy. In an exclusive interview with India.com, Raut said, “This is India, where Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs, Christians—all live together. We want a Hindu Rashtra. Our culture itself is rooted in the idea of a Hindu Rashtra. But dividing the country on religious lines is wrong.”
He continued, “Pakistan too was created on the basis of religion. Look at its condition now. These religious fanatics have formed gangs, and it’s a terrorist gang that runs the country—be it the Taliban, Hizbul, or anyone else.”
Sanjay Raut added, “Any nation founded on religion does not succeed.” He pointed out that even Nepal was once a Hindu Rashtra, but it no longer is.
Yet, the Shiv Sena MP didn’t shy away from stating, “We envision a Hindu Rashtra. Our only aim is the saffron flag, and it will remain at the top.”
On Balasaheb, Aurangzeb Row
Speaking about Shiv Sena’s Hindutva roots, Raut told India.com, “We must respect all faiths and beliefs.” He added, “We didn’t dig up Aurangzeb’s grave, we just changed the name of the city. What will we tell the next generation about who Shivaji fought against? Shivaji was killed by Aurangzeb, and his grave is in Maharashtra. What is the point of digging it up?”
He recalled, “Balasaheb Thackeray was a visionary. When he visited Aurangabad, he said the grave will remain where it is—we will not touch it. We simply renamed the city. Sambhaji was killed by Aurangzeb, and we renamed the city Sambhajinagar. That’s a real form of revenge.”
On Balasaheb’s BJP Remark
When asked why Shiv Sena, despite being a major force in Maharashtra, couldn’t expand outside the state, Raut candidly said, “We tried but weren’t successful.” He recalled, “After the Ayodhya movement, we had an opportunity to grow. We planned to contest 70 seats across UP, MP, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. Our alliance with BJP in Maharashtra was based on Hindutva. In UP alone, we were set to win 20 of the 40 seats we contested. We could have won in Rajasthan, Jammu, and Gujarat too.”
Remembering those days, Raut said, “Suddenly, Atal Bihari Vajpayee called Balasaheb and told him that contesting elections would damage both BJP and the cause of Hindutva, as it would split the Hindu vote.” He added, “Balasaheb was very emotional. After speaking with Vajpayee and realizing Hindutva could be harmed, he decided not to contest. Whether we won or BJP did, what mattered was that Hindutva won.”
‘Balasaheb: Face of Hindutva
When asked what changed in the past 20 years that led to Shiv Sena’s separation from BJP, Raut responded, “Back then, BJP wasn’t full of businessmen. Hindutva wasn’t a business. There were people who didn’t do business with us. We were their old allies—when no one stood with them, we did in Maharashtra.”
‘BJP A Deceptive Party’
Speaking on the Waqf Bill, Raut said, “The BJP is a deceptive party. If PM Modi wants something, he will bow before anyone. During the Waqf Bill debate in the Rajya Sabha, they even called Naveen Patnaik for support, despite opposition from his own party in the state.” Raut accused the BJP of submitting to other parties whenever it suits them. He ruled out any future alliance with BJP and did not hesitate to call it a “deceptive party.” He also accused BJP of splitting Shiv Sena and pointed out the hypocrisy of aligning with Ajit Pawar, whom they once called corrupt, and now have cleansed just by partnering with him.
Raut Backs Kunal Kamra
Amid the recent controversy involving comedian Kunal Kamra, Shiv Sena (Uddhav faction) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut came out in his support. Raut said, “If an artist is being threatened for asking questions or using satire, it’s an attack on democracy.” He even demanded Z-category security for Kamra.
When questioned about the demolition of Kangana Ranaut’s studio, Raut clarified, “We didn’t demolish it. BMC had been issuing notices for two years.” However, he also noted that Kangana had referred to Mumbai residents as Pakistanis and terrorists, adding, “Then she should be treated the same way terrorists are.”
