Aaditya Thakrey Hosted CJP's Saurav Das
Mumbai: A fresh political controversy has erupted in Maharashtra after Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray hosted Cockroach Janta Party spokesperson and activist Saurav Das, with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena accusing him of compromising the dignity and legacy of his grandfather and Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray for political convenience.
Aaditya Thackeray posted photographs of his meeting with Das on social media on August 8, saying that the afternoon was spent discussing the highlights of the ‘Cockroach Janta Party’ protest and the participation of young Indians in supporting what he described as “inspiring voices”.
While Saurav Das responded with a reply to Aaditya Thackeray’s post by writing, “The highlights from the protest will be remembered forever! Lovely catching up with you. And thanks for everything you’ve done for the youth protesters in Maharashtra, including all the legal help and organising!” his colleague and fellow visitor to the Thackeray residence Ratna Singh wrote: “It was an absolute pleasure. Thank you for standing firmly with the movement and supporting the cause.”
The post has now drawn sharp criticism from the Shiv Sena as well as several netizens.
The controversy centres on an old social-media post by Das from December 2018, in which he reacted to a trailer of a film on Balasaheb Thackeray posted by actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Das wrote that while the trailer was “breathtaking”, Siddiqui calling Balasaheb Thackeray courageous for what he had done over the years was “completely irresponsible and wrong”.
Another handle posted that Saurav Das had laughed when a journalist had called Aaditya Thackeray another Rahul Gandhi in the making, hinting at him being a nepo kid who was undeservedly inheriting a huge legacy or mantle.
Yet another handle pointed out that CJP’s Abhijieet Dipke had derogatorily referred to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi as Pappu.
Shiv Sena spokesperson Jyoti Waghmare said Aaditya Thackeray’s decision to host Das despite the earlier remarks amounted to “hypocrisy” and a disregard for the former Shiv Sena chief’s legacy.
Waghmare questioned how Aaditya could claim to carry forward Balasaheb Thackeray’s political legacy while welcoming someone who had, according to her, questioned the late leader’s courage and conduct.
She asked whether the Shiv Sena (UBT) leadership had reached a point where insults directed at Balasaheb Thackeray could simply be overlooked for political convenience.
The Shiv Sena spokesperson further questioned whether political survival had become more important for the UBT leadership than defending the founder and ideological patriarch of the Shiv Sena.
Shiv Sena state spokesperson Arun Sawant also attacked Aaditya Thackeray over the meeting.
Sawant said Aaditya, as Balasaheb Thackeray’s grandson, should at the very least have demanded an apology from Das for his earlier remarks instead of inviting him home and hosting him.
“Aaditya Thackeray has completely ignored the honour and esteem of his grandfather and Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray,” Sawant alleged.
In a pointed reference to the meeting, Sawant said Aaditya had invited Das home and hosted him with traditional Gujarati snacks such as jalebi, fafda and dhokla. He condemned the gesture, alleging that the meeting was driven purely by political considerations.
Sawant said Aaditya’s conduct was unbecoming of the grandson of Balasaheb Thackeray.
Sawant also broadened his criticism to the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s political alliances, alleging that Uddhav Thackeray had abandoned the principles followed by Balasaheb Thackeray by joining hands with the Congress and Sharad Pawar-led NCP.
He invoked Balasaheb’s longstanding opposition to compromising the Shiv Sena’s core ideological position, arguing that the present-day UBT leadership had moved far away from the political philosophy associated with the party’s founder.
According to Sawant, the same contradiction is now visible in Aaditya’s interaction with Das.
He alleged that just as the UBT faction had embraced the Congress and Sharad Pawar’s NCP for political survival, Aaditya was now reaching out to activists associated with the ‘Cockroach Janta Party’ protest in an effort to remain politically relevant.
Sawant further claimed that the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction had lost public support across successive elections and local political contests.
He alleged that the UBT’s political decline was reflected in its performance in the state legislature, parliamentary elections and local bodies, including municipal corporations, municipalities and gram panchayats.
The latest exchange is likely to further sharpen the continuing battle between the two Shiv Sena factions over the political legacy of Balasaheb Thackeray. The central question in the controversy is not merely Aaditya Thackeray’s meeting with Saurav Das, but whether the UBT’s present political choices are consistent with the ideological and political legacy it claims to represent.
