Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane on Friday, 3 July launched a sharp political broadside against Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, labelling him a 'Pakistani agent' and mockingly addressing him as 'Uddhav Ulla Haq' and 'Uddhav Al Haq' at a press conference in Mumbai. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader's remarks came days after Thackeray announced a 'Ram Raksha' agitation slated for 5 July near the Hanuman Temple at Dadar, protesting alleged embezzlement of Ram temple donations.

Rane's Allegations Against Thackeray

Minister Rane accused Thackeray of mirroring the rhetoric of those hostile to India, claiming his political ideology had undergone a 'complete transformation.' He alleged that Thackeray speaks 'the language of Pakistani agents' to appease political handlers across the border.

'The way people in Pakistan speak ill of India, Uddhav Thackeray speaks the exact same way. He is making these statements simply to please his Abba (masters) sitting in Pakistan,' Rane said. He further alleged that Thackeray was 'speaking the language of Osama bin Laden' on the Ram Temple issue — remarks that are certain to deepen the bitter divide between the two Sena factions.

Temples, Hindutva, and Political Point-Scoring

Rane reminded the public that during Thackeray's tenure as Maharashtra Chief Minister, Hindu temples were allegedly kept shut. He dismissed Thackeray's recent religious public appearances as a 'drama to defame the concept of a Hindu Rashtra,' asserting that no deity would bless him given what he called a complete political and ideological conversion.

'Whichever temple Uddhav Thackeray visits, it should be purified by sprinkling Gaumutra (cow urine) afterward. He and Lord Ram have absolutely no connection,' Rane alleged. He also claimed that Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs had won their seats solely on the strength of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's wave, and that the public no longer identifies with the Thackeray-led faction.

BJP Spokesperson Targets Thackeray's Hindutva Credentials

State BJP spokesperson Ram Kulkarni separately alleged that Thackeray has 'absolutely no moral right' to recite the Hanuman Chalisa or Ram Raksha Stotra. He claimed that during Thackeray's tenure as Chief Minister, his government jailed Ram devotees 'simply for chanting the Hanuman Chalisa and Ram Raksha.'

Kulkarni characterised Thackeray's attempt to make political capital out of the Ram temple donation controversy as 'a desperate struggle for self-preservation,' adding that the BJP had spearheaded the Ram Temple's construction because Lord Ram represents India's cultural identity — not for electoral gain.

The Ram Temple Donation Row

Addressing the recent theft reported at the temple, Kulkarni dismissed it as an isolated incident under active police investigation. 'The police are on the case and the culprits will face strict punishment,' he said, while accusing Thackeray of exploiting the episode to shore up a fading political presence. This comes amid broader tensions within Maharashtra's fractured political landscape, where the MahaYuti ruling alliance — comprising the BJP, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP — has repeatedly sought to challenge the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) on Hindutva turf.

What Comes Next

Thackeray's 'Ram Raksha' agitation on 5 July at Dadar is likely to test the street strength of the Shiv Sena (UBT) ahead of any future electoral contest in Maharashtra. The BJP's escalating rhetoric suggests it intends to contest every inch of the Hindutva ground that Thackeray is attempting to reclaim.