Raj Thackeray calls for Modi-mukt Bharat

Launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday called upon political parties to unite for what he described "Modi-mukt Bharat".

"The country is fed up of the false promises and 'jumlas' of Modi and his government," Thackeray said, addressing a mammoth rally at the historic Shivaji Park at Dadar here coinciding with the Gudi Padwa celebrations.

"India got its first Independence (from the Britishers) in 1947, second in 1977 (after the post-Emergency election) and 2019 can bring a third independence if India becomes Modi-mukt....Opposition parties need to work for Modi-mukt Bharat," the nephew of the late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray said.

The statement of Thackeray comes a day after he had a one-on-one meeting with NCP supremo and former Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar at the latter's Mumbai residence.

During his nearly 75-minute-long address, Thackeray also targetted Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport & Highways.

"Gadkari had said that a Mumbai-Vadodara Expressway is coming up at a cost of Rs 22,000 crore. The Prime Minister's dream project of Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train is underway at a cost Rs 1.10 lakh crore. Do people in Maharashtra need that," he asked.

He said that the plans for International Financial Centre had already been shifted from Mumbai to Ahmedabad and the Air India headquarters from Mumbai to New Delhi.

On Ram temple in Ayodhya, he said he was in favour but questioned the hurry.

"The Babri Masjid issue is in the Supreme Court.....I am warning that there are some quarters who are trying to instigate communal riots....let there be polls, do it after that," he said.

Thackeray also termed demonetisation the biggest scam since Independence. "If note ban is to be probed, it would emerge as the biggest scam in post-Independent India," he said.

He said that there is also a move to muzzle the media. "If you read Adolph Hitler, you will come to know of the process and techniques adopted (by Modi and Shah)," he said.