New Delhi | Shiv Sena-UBT supremo Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday hit out at the BJP-led NDA government, saying US President Donald Trump was "mocking" Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was "unable" to give a strong reply.
At a press conference, he alleged that Modi and Amit Shah were behaving like propaganda ministers of the BJP while the nation needed a prime minister and a home minister to deal with extant challenges.
"Trump is mocking India and Narendra Modi. We are unable to respond to him, let alone seek answers from him. This government has failed on the foreign policy front.
"The nation needs a strong prime minister, a strong home minister, defence minister and external affairs minister," the former Maharashtra chief minister said.
Thackeray's remarks came in the wake of Trump on Wednesday slapping an additional 25 per cent tariff, raising the total duties to 50 per cent on goods coming from India, as a penalty for New Delhi's continued purchase of Russian oil.
"Today, the prime minister, home minister, and defence minister function more as propaganda ministers for the BJP. Had Modi been the nation's prime minister, he would have visited Pahalgam, but he chose to visit Bihar," Thackeray said.
He said the Shiv Sena-UBT was committed to the opposition INDIA bloc grouping and dismissed suggestions that his party would go it alone after reuniting with his cousin Raj Thackeray, the founder of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).
"There is no need to talk about Raj Thackeray. There are no conditions attached for being part of the opposition INDIA bloc. As far as Raj is concerned, we two brothers are steadfast in our approach. We both will take care of it," Thackeray said.
The Shiv Sena-UBT supremo is in the national capital to participate in the meeting of the opposition INDIA bloc convened by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. This is the first in-person meeting of the opposition alliance since its defeat in the Lok Sabha elections last year.
Thackeray refused to speculate on probable candidates for the vice presidential election, including whether Shiv Sena-UBT would support the NDA nominee if he or she is a Marathi-speaking person.
"We will talk about these possibilities when we know about it. Right now, we want to know why the vice president was removed from office. Where is the (former) vice president now? This is the issue that should be discussed," Thackeray said.
He slammed the Election Commission for rolling out the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and wondered whether the National Register of Citizens was being brought in through the back door.
Thackeray also slammed the poll authority for declaring that VVPAT machines will not be used during the local bodies elections in Maharashtra later this year.
"VVPATs were introduced when doubts were raised about EVMs. Now, why should you even go through the process of holding an election? You can announce the winner straightaway. We do not know whom we have voted for, why hold elections," he said.
Thackeray refused to comment on Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who is also in the national capital to meet the prime minister and the home minister.
"A traitor is a traitor. I do not give them much importance. He may have come to meet his masters," Thackeray said.
