The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) criticized the BJP-led government, stating that it deviates from the governance legacy of leaders like Nehru and Manmohan Singh. The party highlighted stark differences in leadership philosophies, emphasizing the establishment of key institutions under Nehru’s tenure, such as AIIMS, IITs, and IIMs, focused on nation-building and societal harmony.
In a scathing critique, the Thackeray camp pointed out alleged weaponization of central agencies like the ED, CBI, and Income Tax Department in the past 12 years. They claimed that constitutional structures have been undermined, turning autonomous bodies like the Election Commission into subservient entities operating from the ruling party’s headquarters.
Addressing the socio-economic landscape, the party raised concerns about the Indian economy’s collapse, rupee depreciation, disrupted import-export balance, and depleting foreign exchange reserves. They criticized the government for favoring corporate interests over national welfare, citing a surge in unemployment, rising atrocities against women, and widespread economic distress, with millions relying on free grain rations and farmer suicides continuing.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena condemned the exploitation and erasure of historical sacrifices in the current political environment. They highlighted the diminishing recognition of historic defense actions like ‘Operation Blue Star’ and recent national tragedies like the Pulwama attack and killings in Pahalgam, reducing them to mere electoral rhetoric. The party also expressed concerns about the overshadowing of sacrifices made during the Kargil War under the Vajpayee administration by contemporary political narratives.
The Thackeray camp drew parallels between British exploitation and what they described as a more severe systematic exploitation under the current 12-year regime. They called for an impartial audit to assess the government’s achievements in enhancing India’s global and domestic reputation.
