Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday claimed that the Waqf (Amendment) Bill is the BJP’s ploy to take away land and give it to its industrialist friends.

“The concern shown by Union Minister Amit Shah and BJP MPs for Muslims during their speeches on the Waqf Bill in Parliament would put even Pakistan’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah to shame. It is a rather strange coincidence that Kiren Rijiju, who once supported eating cow beef, presented the Waqf Amendment Bill,” he told media persons here.

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“Despite securing a third term, the BJP is raking up Hindu-Muslim issues for politics. The BJP must remove the green colour from its party flag if it dislikes Muslims,” Thackeray said.

Thackeray said that he was not opposing the Bill but only the double standards of the BJP.

“I have not said I support the bill. I have not opposed the bill, but I have opposed the double standards of the BJP. There are definitely some good things about the bill, but they should not use it for politics. It has nothing to do with Hindutva,” Uddhav Thackeray said.

Thackeray also questioned the Central government for the intrusion by China into eastern Ladakh.

“What about the land of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and the land on which China has intruded? Is the government only concerned about Waqf board land in the country,” Uddhav Thackeray said.

Thackeray also criticised MAharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis after the BJP leader questioned if Thackeray-led Sena would uphold Bal Thackeray’s ideology or the ideology of Rahul Gandhi on the Waqf bill.

“I want to ask Fadnavis whether he will follow the ideology of Atal Behari Vajpayee or the ideology of Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan. Fadnavis was only a kid when Balasaheb Thackeray gave land to the Muslim community to offer prayers in Bandra-Kurla Complex, which was later used for the bullet train during his tenure. Fadnavis is only a kid to understand Balasaheb’s ideology. So, he should not teach us,” Uddhav Thackeray said.