Lok Sabha polls 2019: MNS shifts its stance every year, BJP more stable: Aaditya Thackeray
Interacting with youth in Mumbai, Yuva Sena chief also says sedition law must be amended, not scrapped
Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray on Monday took on his estranged uncle Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) for changing its stance on which party it supports “every year” and ruled out an alliance with the MNS in future. Commenting on Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray’s stand on repealing of sedition law, Aaditya suggested that the British-era law must be amended to stop its misuse for political gains.
Asked if the Shiv Sena will forge an alliance with the MNS like it did recently with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Aaditya said, “We have not changed our ideals and our work for 30 years. (For) some parties, who they support or who they oppose, keeps changing every year. There is no harm in going with those who do not change. Therefore we have gone with BJP for the nation and the people. We need assurance that those who we ally with will not change next month.”
Aaditya made the comments during an interaction with youth between the ages of 18 to 35 at the National Sports Club of India (NSCI) in Worli.
The Sena has been taking on the Congress over its poll promise to repeal the sedition law if voted to power in the Lok Sabha election. Uddhav Thackeray, in a recent rally had slammed Congress president Rahul Gandhi over the issue. On Monday, Aaditya said, “If Rahul Gandhi wins, he wants to keep Section 370 (which grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir), he wants to scrap the sedition law. We say that there is no harm in amending the sedition law, it shouldn’t be used politically. If scrapped, it will be harmful for the country.”
When Aaditya was grilled by the audience over the bad condition of roads in Mumbai and especially during the monsoon, he assured participants that the Sena-led city civic body is working towards concretising roads.
A participant asked Aaditya about nepotism and said common people find it difficult to enter politics. Aaditya agreed there is nepotism, but added, “My advice to young people who want to come into politics, is to work for society and make an impact. Then, it is unavoidable for the political parties not to give them tickets.”
The event was conceptualised and designed by election strategist Prashant Kishor’s firm I-PAC. Priyanka Chaturvedi, who recently joined the Sena from Congress, shared the stage with Aaditya.
