Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray compared police action against student protesters to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, claiming ‘Gen Z’ has brought the central government ‘to its knees’. He also slammed PM Modi for meeting ‘traitors’ over students.
‘Jallianwala Bagh-like Oppression’
Addressing the media, the former Chief Minister alleged that the administration responded to the youth’s aspirations by “extreme and ruthless operation.” “Currently, there is a discussion about how Gen Z brought the government to its knees. Instead of supporting this generation, they were subjected to extreme and ruthless oppression…. What is going on in the country…what is going on with the young generation being fired with pellet guns and lathis being charged at them like Jallianwala Bagh? Today, the entire opposition and the country are demanding answers from the Prime Minister and the Home Minister: “Why are you perpetrating these atrocities on the youth?” However, the Prime Minister has no intention of speaking, and the Home Minister lacks the courage! The entire system should be changed,” Thackeray said.
‘PM Meets Traitors, Not Youth’
Launching a sharp attack on the Prime Minister’s selective engagement, Thackeray alleged that the top leadership finds time for political defectors but avoids the agitating youth. “PM is meeting ‘Gaddar’ (traitors) and not meeting young generation students. Shiv Sena traitor MPs went to meet the Prime Minister… Don’t you have time to meet the youth who are protesting for justice and rights, and shamelessly, you meet the traitors and tell them ‘I am with you’? Modi tells these traitors ‘don’t be afraid, I am with you.’ That sentence that should have been told to the youth: ‘I am with you,’ but the Prime Minister does not have time to answer these students,” he remarked.
‘Instagram Government’
Labelling the current administration an “Instagram government,” he questioned the lack of real-world connection between the leadership and the students. “The Prime Minister does not meet the youth at midnight… so they send messages on Instagram. When I was doing Facebook Live, I was preaching, and now they have to run the government on Instagram. They did what Congress could not do… Congress has never heard so many insults that are coming their way,” he added.
Youth ‘Furious,’ Not Listening to RSS: Thackeray
In a reference to the Gen Z reach out by RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, the UBT Sena Chief claimed that the younger generation is no longer interested in the dialogues of the RSS leadership. “The young generation is not ready to listen to Mohan Bhagwat. We heard what students are replying after listening to his dialogue,” the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said, adding, “The youth of the country are now furious, and no matter how much effort Modi puts in, they are not ready to listen to him.”
These statements were being made against the backdrop of an opposition-led offensive against Union Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging the lathi-charge and use of pellet guns by Delhi Police against protesters during the July 20 march led by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP). (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)