Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, May 4: Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora has sharply criticized Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray for traveling to Europe with his family while the nation mourned the victims of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.
The brutal incident, attributed to four TRF (The Resistance Front) terrorists linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians. The timing of Thackeray’s overseas trip — reportedly the same day the attack occurred — has sparked political outrage.
Taking to social media, Deora condemned Thackeray’s absence during a time of national grief. “From sons of the soil to tourists of India — how far the Thackerays have fallen. While bullets flew in Pahalgam, they were vacationing in Europe,” he wrote on X.
Deora also called out Thackeray’s silence on Maharashtra Day, stating, “On Maharashtra Day, they vanished without a word. No statement. No solidarity. No shame.”
He contrasted Thackeray’s absence with Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s public engagement in paying tribute to the victims and honouring security personnel. “Maharashtra needs warriors on duty, not part-time Netas on holiday,” Deora remarked.
The controversy intensified as Thackeray skipped the 65th Maharashtra Day Foundation event, a key occasion celebrating the state’s formation. His absence was met with criticism from the ruling Mahayuti coalition, who accused him of failing to uphold the Marathi pride he often champions.
BJP Mumbai chief and Culture Minister Ashish Shelar also weighed in, alleging that Thackeray had failed to honour the very identity he claims to defend.
Adding to the criticism, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam stated, “When it’s time to pay tribute to those who lost their lives, the Thackeray family is vacationing abroad.”
In contrast, leaders from across party lines gathered at Mumbai’s Hutatma Chowk to honour martyrs of the Samyukta Maharashtra movement. Among them were NCP leader Supriya Sule, MNS chief Raj Thackeray, and Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad.