Kangana Ranaut Supports Eknath Shinde, Criticizes Shankaracharya's Support for Uddhav Thackeray
Kangana Ranaut, the BJP MP from Mandi, has come out in support of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde following Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati's claim that Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray was a "victim of betrayal."
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Ranaut wrote, "In politics, it is very normal and constitutional to have alliances, treaties, and division of a party. The Congress party was divided in 1907 and then again in 1971." She further questioned, "If a politician does not do politics in politics, will he sell golgappas?"
Ranaut also cited religious principles, stating that if a king exploits his subjects, then treason becomes the ultimate religion.
This statement comes after Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati met Uddhav Thackeray at his residence and expressed his support, voicing concern over the "political betrayal" faced by the former CM. He emphasized the importance of "punya" (virtue) and "paap" (sin) in the Hindu religion, categorizing betrayal as a grave sin. He stated that their pain over the betrayal would persist until Thackeray was reinstated as CM.
Ranaut criticized the Shankaracharya's stance, stating that he misused his words and religious influence. She added that his derogatory remarks against Eknath Shinde hurt the sentiments of many.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government of Uddhav Thackeray collapsed in June 2022 after Eknath Shinde rebelled and split the Shiv Sena. He went on to become the Chief Minister by forming the government in alliance with BJP.
Meanwhile, Juna Akhada's Mahant Narayan Giri countered Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, stating that it was Uddhav Thackeray who betrayed Devendra Fadnavis by joining the "vidharmis." He also criticized the Shankaracharya's attendance at the wedding ceremony of Anant Ambani-Radhika Merchant, questioning his presence at such events.
Mahant Raju Das of Ayodhya's Hanumangarhi Temple also condemned Saraswati, questioning his silence on the Palghar sadhus lynching incident in 2020 and his support for leaders who made anti-Hindu comments.