Increase job opportunities for youths instead of expanding number of MPs: Uddhav tells govt

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday attacked the BJP over the proposed delimitation bill, saying the government should focus on ramping up employment opportunities for the youth, instead of increasing the number of MPs.

Addressing a function to launch three books, Thackeray said the BJP adopted a 'use and throw' policy even for Lord Ram, alluding to the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

The books include one on the writings of his grandfather Prabhodhankar Thackeray and his father Bal Thackeray. Questioning the rationale behind the proposed bill to increase the number of Lok Sabha members, Thackeray alleged MPs are being poached to enlist support for this legislation, an apparent reference to six Lok Sabha members of his party crossing over to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena last month.

"Instead of increasing the number of MPs, increase employment opportunities," he said and asked how could 850 MPs- the proposed number- get time to speak in the House if 550 members do not get the opportunity now.

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Youths breath new life into democracy: Thackeray

He said even the opposition leader, Rahul Gandhi, was not allowed to speak in Lok Sabha. Thackeray also hailed youths for staging protests over the NEET paper leak and for demanding the resignation of then Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

He said when everyone thought democracy had died, youths have breathed a new life into it through the protests. Holding the government responsible for pent-up anger in the young generation, the former Maharashtra chief minister said the country has seen what happens when the voice of youth is ignored.

Youths are bound to get angry if they are called a cockroach, he added. Countering the BJP's charge that he has abandoned Hindutva, Thackeray said his ideology remained unchanged; however, it has adapted to the changing times.

He said religion has no place to interfere in human life. Taking a dig, Thackeray said had the current government seen cartoons of Bal Thackeray, who helped the BJP come to power, it would have branded him anti-national and anti-Hindu.