Mumbai, October 21, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders on Wednesday hit back at Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray over his remarks on the party’s “saffron identity” and call for “regime change”, asserting that the public would reject such rhetoric.
Addressing a large gathering at the annual Dussehra rally at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park, Thackeray said his party was seeking a change of government and argued that any administration failing to serve the public interest should be replaced.
Reiterating his party’s claim to the saffron identity, Thackeray said, “Bhagwa (saffron) is our identity; no one can steal our identity.”
He said saffron was visible everywhere and stressed that the saffron flag should be hoisted not only at the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly but also on the throne of Delhi.
Reacting to the remarks, Maharashtra BJP MLA Ram Kadam told IANS that the fear of “Operation Tiger 3” was evident in Thackeray’s speech.
Kadam alleged that Thackeray’s repeated references to saffron and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj reflected regret over abandoning Hindutva.
He also accused Thackeray of double standards, alleging that he supported individuals such as Umar Khalid while associating with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, whom Kadam accused of attacking Sanatan Dharma and linking saffron with terrorism.
Shiv Sena spokesperson Shaina NC also criticised Thackeray, saying, “Uddhav says that he doesn’t want ‘scarf-wearing’ Hindutva. But in 2019, when he formed an alliance with the Congress, he embraced ‘cap-wearing’ Hindutva.”
Referring to the legacy of Balasaheb Thackeray, she said he had urged people to take pride in being Hindus, whereas Uddhav Thackeray was now asking people to take pride in seeking regime change.
Shaina claimed that the difference reflected a contrast between what she described as “real Hindutva” and “fake secularism”.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha member Milind Deora acknowledged that citizens and Opposition parties had the constitutional and democratic right to protest and oppose the government. However, he objected to Thackeray’s comparisons with countries such as France, Albania, Bangladesh and Nepal.
“Every citizen and every Opposition party has the right to contest elections against the government and to make statements against the government. This is their constitutional, democratic right. However, the language used to compare things with France, Albania, Bangladesh and Nepal is clearly an attempt to spread anarchy and violence,” Deora alleged.
“The people of India will never accept this. If they want to bring about the so-called change, do it through elections, by earning people’s vote; not like this,” he told IANS.
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