Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis launched an attack on Shiv Sena and said that those who are scared of removing loudspeakers from mosques say that they took part in Babri Masjid's demolition.
Addressing a 'Booster Dose' rally at Somaiya Ground along with other BJP leaders, Fadnavis said, "People who're scared of removing loudspeakers from mosques are saying that they demolished the Babri Masjid. Devendra Fadnavis was a part of Babri Masjid's demolition. There was no Shiv Sena leader then."
The former chief minister said that he does not consider Babri Masjid a mosque.
"I don't consider it a mosque. It was just a structure," he said.
Taking a veiled jibe at Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Fadnavis alleged that some people think that disrespect to them means disrespect to the state.
"Some people think that they are Maharashtra. Their disrespect means the disrespect of Maharashtra. You should know that you are not the state. Twelve crore people are Maharashtra. You are not Marathi. The situation has come to point that one can say that you are not even Hindu, but I won't say this," he said.
Referring to former minister Anil Deshmukh and sitting minister Nawab Malik who are in jail, the BJP leader took a dig at the state government stating that there was work from home earlier, but now "there is work from jail".
"For whom is the government (Shiv Sena) working is the big question. Two of their ministers are in jail and they shamelessly print the photo of a minister who's in jail, on the decisions of the government. Earlier, there was work from home, now there's work from jail," Fadnavis said.
Alleging that journalists were attacked for criticising the Uddhav Thackeray government, Fadnavis said that he will expose them after May 14.
"Today, journalists are facing attacks. Those who write against them, are assaulted. I will expose them after May 14. They did not even reduce the taxes on petrol and diesel," he said.
Terming the state government "pro-alcohol", Fadnavis said that the government works for the "bar owners".
"This is a pro-alcohol government. They give permission to bars. Not only this, they reduced the prices of foreign liquor. The government works for the bar owners and builders," he said.
( With inputs from ANI )
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