‘Gaddar Divas’: The fresh tension between Sena (UBT) and Shinde-led faction explained

The Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray and the Eknath Shinde-led Sena are at each other’s throats again – this time over ‘Gaddar Divas’. But what is ‘Gaddar Divas?’ And why are the two outfits trading barbs again? Let’s take a closer look: Thackeray slams Shinde Sena As per Deccan Chronicle, Uddhav on Sunday at the Maharashtra-level plenary of the Shiv Sena (UBT) called for 20 June to be marked as ‘Gaddar Divas’.

“On 19 June, we would celebrate the Shiv Sena ‘vardhapan din’ (foundation day)…on 20 June it’s ‘World Traitors’ Day’,” Uddhav said.

The Bal Thackeray-founded Shiv Sena, which came into existence on 19 June, 1966, made the pride of `Marathi manoos’ (Marathi speakers in Mumbai) the core plank of its politics and later added Hindutva to its ideology to expand support base. Recall it was on 20th June 2022 that Shinde and some Sena MLAs reached a hotel in Surat just hours after Maharashtra Legislative Council polls saw the BJP winning a fifth seat despite not having enough numbers in the Assembly. After the Council poll results, Shinde went incommunicado. It later came to light that he was camping in the hotel along with some party MLAs. The number later swelled and MLAs loyal to Shinde were flown to Guwahati. Shinde and other MLAs returned to Mumbai on 29 June after Uddhav resigned as the chief minister without facing the floor test. It emerged later that Shinde has the support of 39 out of 56 MLAs of Shiv Sena headed by Uddhav. Shinde eventually took oath as the chief minister with Devendra Fadnavis of BJP as his deputy on 30 June. Both factions have since been trying to claim the mantle of the ‘true inheritor’ of Bal Thackeray’s legacy ahead of the next year’s Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly elections as well as the long-due civic polls in Mumbai. Aaditya on Sunday said, “Today (June 18) is Father’s Day…but here are some people who steal fathers…they are gaddars”. Meanwhile, UBT leader Sanjay Raut said he would write to the United Nations to urge it to declare 20 June as “World Traitors Day”. [caption id=“attachment_12717852” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut[/caption] “When our party comes to power we shall make a beginning – June 19 shall be celebrated as ‘Loyalists Day’ and 20 June as the ‘Traitors’ Day’… We shall make a bonfire of all these ‘gaddars’ (traitors) as it is done for the demon King Ravana,” Raut added, as per Deccan Chronicle. Shinde hits back Maharashtra chief minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde on Monday claimed Uddhav discarded party founder Bal Thackeray’s ideology to join hands with the NCP and the Congress. Speaking at an event organised here to mark the 57th foundation day of the party, Shinde launched a scathing attack on Uddhav Thackeray, who heads Shiv Sena (UBT) faction, and said Bal Thackeray’s ideology was compromised for the chief minister’s chair.

The event was organised at the NESCO ground in Goregaon in northwest Mumbai.

“You discarded the principles of Balasaheb for power, for the sake of chair. Balasaheb once said he would not allow the Shiv Sena to become like the Congress and if that happens, he will shut his shop. But today, you (Uddhav) went with the NCP and the Congress. This is a betrayal on your side and that truth you spoke yesterday (Sunday),” he said referring to a speech delivered by Uddhav Thackeray during the Shiv Sena (UBT) plenary. “In your speech, you asked the party workers to celebrate June 20 as the ‘gaddar divas’ (traitors’ day). You fumbled when you said ‘our’ betrayal is completing one year. But you immediately corrected yourself and blamed those leaders who left the party last year. It is you who is a traitor but you forgot the date,” the CM added. Shinde said the allegation of being “traitors” levelled against him and other MLAs of his camp after the last year’s rebellion will not help Uddhav Thackeray gain public sympathy.

“You will not get the sympathy of people as you have abandoned Balasaheb’s principles for power,” he added.

Shinde said Uddhav Thackeray’s speech on Sunday was repetitive and advised his predecessor to change his scriptwriter. “Same taunts, same cassette… all repetitive. Ask him to change the scriptwriter. But we will give answer to these allegations (of traitors) by our work and this is what Balasaheb taught us,” the CM said. He said one year ago, they did revolt against the then-Shiv Sena leadership and the world took cognizance of the rebellion which brought down the three-party Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. “We managed to form a Shiv Sena-BJP alliance government and that is why this foundation day today is historic and a matter of pride,” Shinde added. Referring to the rebellion, the CM said, if he had taken a wrong decision, then he would not have garnered wide-ranging support from Shiv Sena MLAs, MPs and other party leaders. “Had we taken a wrong decision, these 50 MLAs, MPs and other party leaders would not have come with us. They refer to those who leave them as ‘kachara’ (trash) but mind you, one day you will turn into trash,” he said, hitting out at the rival Shiv Sena (UBT). Shinde hit out at Uddhav Thackeray for using names like ‘Abdali,’ ‘Hitler’ and ‘Afzal Khan’ to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. “Yesterday, you (Uddhav) asked Prime Minister to go to (violence-hit) Manipur. What Manipur, Modiji had even conducted a surgical strike in Pakistan. Why are you asking him to go to Manipur? You (as chief minister) did not even show the courage of going from ‘Varsha’ (official residence of CM in Mumbai) to Mantralaya (state secretariat),” Shinde said. Without taking the name of Uddhav Thackeray, who underwent a spine surgery in November 2021, Shinde said post-resignation in June 2022, his belt around the neck disappeared and he started walking. “This miracle was done by Dr Eknath Shinde,” he quipped. Uddhav slams Modi Speaking almost at the same time at an event organised by his faction on the Sena foundation day at Shanmukhanand Hall in Sion in central Mumbai, Uddhav Thackeray said if PM Modi’s supporters think he is like the Sun, then why is he not shining over violence-battered Manipur and questioned his visit to the US at a time when the north-eastern state is in the grip of ethnic clashes. The Shiv Sena (UBT) president said the “double engine” government has got “derailed” in the BJP-ruled Manipur, and also took on his former ally over the issue of Hindutva. Manipur is burning but Modi is going to America, Uddhav Thackeray said ahead of the PM’s visit to the US from June 21-24. “When I asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not visiting the burning Manipur, but is keen on going to the US, I was countered with arguments like ‘one should spit at the Sun’. If your ‘guru’ is like the Sun, then why he is not shining over Manipur?” he asked. Uddhav Thackeray also took a swipe at BJP’s pitch for “double engine” governments, saying in Manipur it seems to have derailed. “Where is the double engine government (in Manipur)? It seems it has got derailed. Only one engine (a reference to Union Home Minister Amit Shah) visited Manipur, where is the other one,” he asked, taking a dig at Modi. The term “double engine” is used by BJP leaders to refer to the party being in power at the Centre as well as in a state. A large number of houses were burnt and more than 100 people have lost their lives in the ethnic violence between Meitei and Kuki community people in Manipur that broke out over a month ago. Army and paramilitary forces have been deployed to restore peace in the north-eastern state. Uddhav Thackeray said attacks on Hindus show failure of BJP’s Hindutva ideology. “Our Hindutva did not tell us to be happy when BJP leaders are getting attacked in Manipur. Be it Kashmir or Manipur, if Hindus are getting attacked, then BJP’s Hindutva ideology has failed,” the former CM said. He ridiculed the claim by Maharashtra’s deputy CM and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis that Modi developed anti-coronavirus vaccine. Raut on Tuesday tweeted a letter to UN chief Antonio Guterres demanding that 20 June be declared World Traitors’ Day.

“Our prime minister, home minister and central government are promoting traitorship. PM Modi is going to the US. He should tell United Nations about June 20 when 40 of our MLAs left the party. And ask the UN to announce ‘World Traitors Day’,” Raut was quoted as saying by ANI. BJP leaders join fray BJP MLA Nitesh Rane claimed that 27 July – the birthday of Uddhav – should be declared as ‘international traitors’ day’ as there is “no bigger traitor than him”.

According to Indian Express, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday accused Uddhav of being a traitor. Addressing a public rally in Kalyan, Fadnavis said, “What right do they have to call others gaddar (betrayer). If anybody has done ‘gaddari’ first it was Uddhav Thackeray.” NCP holds protests Meanwhile, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders and workers observed “gaddar din” (traitor’s day) on Tuesday in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra. Led by NCP working president and Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule, the party workers in Mumbai shouted slogans and carried symbolic “khoke” (cartons) to claim the rebel legislators took money to come to power in the state. On Tuesday, the NCP workers along with Sule gathered at their party office in south Mumbai to stage a protest. Sule and others shouted slogans like “Pannas (50) Khoke, Ekdum Ok”, to allege that the rebel legislators had taken Rs 50 crore each as bribe. In neighbouring Thane, which is also the hometown of Shinde, NCP leader and former minister Jitendra Awhad led a similar protest. [caption id=“attachment_12765662” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] In Thane, Maharashtra’s former housing minister and NCP leader Jitendra Awhad hit the streets with his workers to protest against ‘Eknath Shinde and his MLAs. News18[/caption] The NCP workers piled up several cartons with “Pannas Khoke, Ekdum Ok” stickers on them at a spot and later burnt them as a mark of protest. In Nagpur, the NCP workers staged a demonstration at the Variety Square in Nagpur and shouted slogans like “Khoke sarkar murdabad, gaddar aamdar murdabad” against legislators of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena. In Pune, NCP city president Prashant Jagtap held a protest in  in Balgandharva Rangmandir Chowk, as per Pune Mirror. The outlet quoted Jagtap as saying that Indians have witnessed many political events over the past 75 years, but they will never forget Shinde’s ‘munity’. Jagtap added that the Shinde group will be taught a lesson by the public. Maharashtra NCP president Jayant Patil last week asked the party cadres to protest against the rebel Shiv Sena legislators. “NCP workers should organise protests in the nook and corner of the state by displaying symbolic ‘khoke’ (boxes of money) based on which the Eknath Shinde government has come to power,” he said on Saturday. Patil appealed to NCP workers to tell people that the temporary happiness of the Shinde camp, which was recognised by the Election Commission as real Shiv Sena, is on the wane and their days in government are numbered. The Supreme Court has ruled that then Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari was not justified in calling upon then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to prove a majority in the Assembly on 30 June, 2022. A constitutional bench had also observed that it cannot restore the Thackeray government as he resigned without facing a floor test. With inputs from agencies Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News ,  India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook ,  Twitter  and  Instagram .