Uddhav Targets Gadkari Over E20 Fuel, Signals Next Opposition Battle On Ethanol
Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday used a massive Mumbai rally to sharpen his attack on the Modi government, putting the ethanol-blended E20 fuel row at the centre of his remarks and accusing the Centre of ignoring public concerns over mileage and maintenance costs.
At the Tiranga Vijay Rally in Shivaji Park, the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief took a swipe at Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, calling him the “pothole minister” before saying he was now talking about ethanol. The comment drew loud laughter and applause from the crowd, as Thackeray signalled that the fuel issue could become the opposition’s next big campaign point.
The rally was jointly organised by the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and brought together thousands of youngsters, party workers and supporters. It was held in support of the student protests over the NEET-UG paper leak controversy and came a day after Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned amid mounting criticism, as reported by Free Press Journal.
Thackeray seized on the resignation to attack the Centre, saying, “A cockroach has defeated the dictator,” in an apparent reference to the Modi government. He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being more focused on breaking opposition parties than on running the country.
“Modiji, stop focusing on breaking political parties and instead work on governance. Your Cabinet ministers like Nirmala Sitharaman and Rajnath Singh were busy defending Dharmendra Pradhan,” he said.
He further alleged that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was not speaking about inflation or the falling rupee, but was instead defending the government over the paper-leak controversy. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, he said, was preoccupied with “protecting” Pradhan rather than addressing national security concerns.
Framing the rally as a youth uprising rather than a political celebration, Thackeray said the event reflected a larger public mood. “This is not a celebration after winning an election. It is proof that patriots have defeated blind followers. The fire of this agitation has now spread across the country,” he said.
He urged students and young people to keep the movement alive and said the opposition was not thinking in electoral terms at the moment. “Elections can go to hell. Modi may be able to steal votes, but he cannot steal people,” he said.
Thackeray also linked the protest to the suffering of families affected by the NEET controversy, saying the pain of those who lost children to suicide was far greater than the pain of removing a minister from office. He described the political fight as one between “BJP and Bharat” and asked people to rise above caste and religion. “Remember that you are Indian,” he said.
Raj Thackeray, who shared the stage with Uddhav, praised the students for forcing the government to respond. He said the rally marked the success of a movement that had gained momentum across the country and showed how Gen Z could challenge political arrogance.
The rally began at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Maidan in Shivaji Park and ended near Siddhivinayak Temple, with participants carrying the Tricolour and patriotic songs playing in the background.
Leaders from the Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS also attended, along with Aaditya Thackeray, Amit Thackeray and NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar.