Mumbai, Aug 25 (IANS) Shiv Sena UBT leader and former minister Aaditya Thackeray on Monday alleged that the bill, tabled in the parliament proposing the removal of Prime Minister, Chief Minister and Minister from office if they are arrested and detained for 30 days in relation to a criminal offence, is unconstitutional and it will be weaponised by the BJP to poach political parties and political leaders.

“Till now they were using ED and CBI, now they will use the bill which has been referred to the joint select committee. The bill is anti-national and it must be taken back,” he said after visiting a slew of development works being carried out in the fishermen’s colony and in his Worli constituency.

On the Union Ministry of Sport’s announcement with India playing a cricket match with Pakistan in the Asia Cup cricket tournament, Aaditya claimed, “Even though Operation Sindoor was announced, as of now, the BCCI is not going back on playing cricket with Pakistan. They want to play cricket with Pakistan, that is, for TV and ad revenues and also for their own salaries. It is very selfish of BCCI, and it should rethink playing with Pakistan.”

Aaditya taunted that the BJP, saying, instead of talking about the past, should talk about the present, as it has been their government in the last 11 years at the Centre.

Earlier, Shiv Sena UBT in the party mouthpiece Saamna editorial slammed the BJP-led government at the Centre for tabling three bills for the removal of PM, CMs and ministers arrested and detained on serious criminal charges, saying that it is an insult to Babasaheb Ambedkar’s constitution.

Thackeray camp alleged that the government has moved these bills to cover up its corruption and misdeeds, as it is shaken by the opposition unity, uprising of the people and the sins they themselves have committed.

“This is treason. This is a sham. These bills have been tabled to end democracy and individual freedom in India and lead the country towards dictatorship, and therefore, they must be burned,” it said.

Thackeray camp questioned the government’s intentions, claiming that they are not clean. The PM Modi-Shah combine has tied this new noose to imprison their political opponents.

Similarly, the Thackeray camp argued that playing cricket with Pakistan is not only an insult to the valour of our soldiers but also to every martyr who sacrificed their life for Kashmir, including Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.

“These matches are happening in Dubai. If they were held in Maharashtra, Balasaheb Thackeray’s Shiv Sena would have disrupted them. By prioritising cricket with Pakistan over Hindutva and patriotism, you are treating the sentiments of the nation’s people as worthless. The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) condemns your decision,” it said.

Thackeray camp further claimed that the Union Ministry of Sport’s decision is deeply painful for the people of India. Shiv Sena UBT remarked, “The blood of the Indians killed in the Pahalgam attack has not yet dried, and the tears of their families have not yet stopped. Even so, playing cricket matches with Pakistan is inhumane.”

–IANS

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