Maharashtra minister and BJP leader Chandrakant Patil said that he will ring up Uddhav Thackeray to clarify my stand on not a single Shiv Sena worker was present near the Babri masjid when it was brought down in 1992. Patil revealed that CM Shinde called him on Tuesday morning after his remarks caused a row and asked him to clarify.
Following Patil's remarks, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray has demanded that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde either step down or ask Patil to resign.
I will be calling Uddhav Thackeray to clarify my stand over the issue. I have full respect for Balasaheb Thackeray in my heart and I cannot disrespect him. No one can forget his contribution to saving Hindus during the Mumbai riots in 1993, Patil said.
Earlier in a day, Chandrakant Patil clarified those who razed the structure were Hindus and they cannot be segregated as Shiv Sainiks or BJP men. Nobody participated in karseva (movement to demolish the Babri structure) as members of their parties but as Hindus. At the time of the demolition (in December 1992), there was no separation between Shiv Sena workers and non-Shiv Sena workers. All participated as Hindus.
When asked whether workers of Bharatiya Janata Party also didn't participate in the demolition, Patil said, Neither BJP nor Shiv Sena (then undivided) was present there. All were present under the leadership of Vishwa Hindu Parishad as Hindus. Does it mean Shiv Sena did not participate in the demolition? Patil wondered.