Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde on Tuesday, 14 July launched a scathing attack on the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) faction, accusing it of supporting Sonam Wangchuk's protest at Jantar Mantar, Delhi to manufacture political instability rather than out of genuine conviction. Shinde's remarks came at a press conference in Mumbai that ranged across Hindutva, the Ram Temple, Article 370, paper leaks, and alliance politics.

The Wangchuk Protest Jibe

Shinde described the UBT faction's posture as 'tails on fire, but rushing to put out mountain blazes,' arguing that the group lacks the courage to lead street protests but is quick to extend endorsements from a safe distance. He characterised their stance as a 'You fight, we will hold your coats' approach — a pattern, he claimed, of backing any agitation directed against the government without personally entering the fray.

He further accused the opposition of attempting to draw false parallels between India and crisis-hit nations such as Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Shinde asserted that the economic systems of those countries had collapsed entirely, threatening basic survival, while India's trajectory under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is fundamentally different. He cited the government's provision of free food grains to 80 crore citizens and the reported lifting of 32 crore people out of poverty as evidence of that divergence.

Hindutva and the Ram Raksha Charge

Shinde mounted a pointed ideological offensive, alleging that the UBT faction — which he accused of having imprisoned people for chanting the Hanuman Chalisa — is now publicly reciting the Ram Raksha. He framed this as a cynical pivot, saying the public can see through the reversal. He alleged that the day Uddhav Thackeray abandoned the core values of late Balasaheb Thackeray, his brand of Hindutva effectively ended.

Shinde also pointed to the irony of the UBT faction aligning with political forces that describe Veer Savarkar as a 'helper of the British,' arguing that such alliances are fundamentally incompatible with the Hindutva legacy the faction claims to uphold. He credited PM Modi with fulfilling Balasaheb Thackeray's aspirations by constructing the Ram Temple and abrogating Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

Paper Leaks and the MVA Record

Responding to Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi's criticism over examination paper leaks, Shinde turned the spotlight on the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government's tenure, noting that the TET, CET, and health department recruitment examinations each faced leaks on three separate occasions under that administration. He stated that Maharashtra Police had swiftly foiled a conspiracy to leak TET papers and arrested the accused. Shinde called for stringent laws under which bail would not be easily granted to those who compromise the futures of young aspirants, and confirmed that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) is currently probing the matter.

Alliance Stance and Local Governance

Dismissing reports of internal rifts within the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Maharashtra, Shinde described the alliance as purely ideological — built on a shared national vision rather than a scramble for ministerial posts. He said the partners have never bargained and do not intend to.

On local administration, Shinde said he has personally directed the Municipal Commissioner of Thane to demolish all illegal banners immediately, instructing officials to act within the law and not shield violators. He concluded by asserting that the opposition, having run out of substantive issues, is resorting to instigating protests and appropriating Hindutva symbolism — a strategy he predicted the politically aware public of Maharashtra will decisively reject.