Will bring down Babri structure of power in Maharashtra': Devendra Fadnavis' warning to MVA govt

Mumbai: The war of words between BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis and CM Uddhav Thackeray continues as the former vows to bring down the "Babri structure".

As per reports, Fadnavis on Sunday compared the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra with the Babri Masjid, saying that he "will not rest" till the Shiv Sena-led government is removed from the state.

"I will not rest till I bring down the Babri-like structure of your power," Mr. Fadnavis said.

Fadnavis was addressing 'Hindi Bhashi Mahasankalp Sabha' organised by the BJP's North Indian cell in suburban Goregaon, a day after Uddhav Thackeray's rally in the city, where he had slammed Fadnavis and the BJP. Fadnavis's rally began with the chanting of Hanuman Chalisa.

"We just chanted Hanuman Chalisa. Would Balasaheb Thackeray have ever thought that reading Hanuman Chalisa during his son's reign would be treason and that visiting the grave of Aurangzeb would be a state etiquette?" said Mr Fadnavis.

"They (Shiv Sena) had a rally yesterday which they called a master sabha but when we were listening to them, it was more like a laughter sabha... Yesterday, it was Kaurava sabha and today it is Pandav sabha", added Mr Fadnavis, describing Uddhav Thackeray's rally as a "laughter show".

In a verbal attack on All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi, he said, "Asaduddin Owaisi goes and pays tribute to Aurangzeb on his grave and you keep seeing that, you should feel ashamed of it. Listen to me Owaisi, even a dog will not pee on the identity of Aurangzeb. Saffron will rule in Hindustan."

A row over Hanuman Chalisa and Azaan has heated up the political atmosphere in the state.

Recently, Navneet Rana and Ravi Rana were arrested by the Mumbai police and charged under Sections 124A (sedition) and 153A (promoting enmity between different groups) of the Indian Penal Code after they declared that they would recite Hanuman Chalisa outside Uddhav Thackeray's home in Bandra.

The BJP has come out in support of the Ranas after the Hanuman Chalisa row.

The loudspeakers row started when the MNS chief Raj Thackeray on April 12 gave an ultimatum to the Maharashtra government to remove loudspeakers from mosques by May 3, failing which, he warned, MNS workers will play Hanuman Chalisa on loudspeakers.