Nirupam slams Congress for not objecting to Uddhav Thackeray’s remark on Babri Masjid

MUMBAI: Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam lashed out at his party’s MLAs on Thursday for not objecting to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray reiterating his late father’s statement on the demolition of Babri Masjid while giving his reply in the Maharashtra assembly.

Nirupam told ET that if Congress MLAs and ministers were not able to control the Shiv Sena then they should quit the alliance.

Thackeray had said in the assembly a day earlier, “When Babri (Masjid) was brought down, everybody ran off (without taking responsibility), but Balasaheb (late Shiv Sena chief) stood strong. He said if my sainiks have brought down the masjid, then I am proud of it.”

The CM was responding to the BJP’s taunts that the Shiv Sena has abandoned its Hindutva for remaining in power.

The remark did not go down well with Congress leaders like Nirupam, who is a member of the parliamentary board of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee. “This is a shocking statement,” he said. “The demolition of the Babri Masjid has been held as illegal and has been condemned by all political parties, even the courts. Yet the chief minister, on the floor of the House, speaks about it as if it is a matter of pride.”

Nirupam also pulled up Congress and NCP MLAs and ministers for not objecting to the CM’s remark. “I am surprised that none of our MLAs and ministers or those from the NCP objected to his remarks. As a Shiv Sena leader he is free to make whatever remarks but not as a chief minister when there are two other parties in the coalition," he said.

The Congress leader said the CM’s remark showed that the common minimum programme (CMP) was not being followed by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). “Congress MLAs should ensure that the Sena is controlled by having the latter follow the CMP or come out of the alliance if they are unable to,” he said.

He said the silence of Congress and NCP MLAs and ministers would benefit parties like the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen as it would seem that the Congress and NCP were not taking on communal forces and statements.

Abu Asim Azmi, MLA of Samajwadi Party, another MVA constituent, also took on the Congress and NCP, and said he wanted Muslim ministers to resign in protest against Thackeray’s remark.