Mumbai, August 8, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reported assurance to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his faction’s MPs during their meeting in New Delhi, saying the remarks had come at a time when the Supreme Court was hearing the dispute over the Shiv Sena’s name and election symbol.
Thackeray took particular exception to the reported statement, “Do not fear, I am behind you,” and sought clarification on whom the Prime Minister intended to address through the message.
Addressing a press conference, Thackeray said Shinde had earlier met Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his visits to Delhi, but was now meeting the Prime Minister directly.
“What does ‘Do not fear, I am behind you’ signify? Is this threat-like message given to the Supreme Court? To Amit Shah? To Devendra Fadnavis, or to the administration? PM Modi must clarify who he was actually speaking to,” Thackeray said.
He pointed out that the meeting took place while the legal dispute concerning the Shiv Sena’s identity and election symbol remained pending before the apex court. Thackeray said the reported assurance was objectionable and urged the Supreme Court to take note of it.
He also questioned whether the message could be interpreted as an assurance to political leaders contemplating defection that they would not face consequences.
Thackeray said the dispute had now gone beyond the Shiv Sena and described it as a broader struggle concerning democratic values and constitutional principles. Claiming that the “virus of betrayal” was threatening democracy, he appealed to citizens who respect the Constitution to unite against such political practices.
He said the developments would be brought to the Supreme Court’s notice and questioned why the Shinde faction continued to express apprehension despite the political realignment in Maharashtra.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut also criticised the Prime Minister over the meeting. Referring to disruptions in Parliament, Raut accused Modi of not finding time to attend parliamentary proceedings while meeting MPs from the Shinde faction.
“PM Modi has time to throw parties with fafda, dhokla, and jalebi for traitor MPs, but has no time to step into Parliament,” Raut said in a social media post, calling the meeting an “insult to the public and the Constitution”.
The political confrontation comes amid the Supreme Court’s ongoing hearing on the dispute. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Thackeray faction, has challenged the Election Commission of India’s decision to recognise the Shinde faction as the official Shiv Sena and grant it the party name and election symbol on the basis of legislative majority.
Sibal has argued that treating legislative strength as the sole criterion for determining a political party’s identity undermines the organisational structure and democratic framework of political parties.
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