Uddhav Sena MP Sanjay Raut abuses ‘rebel’ MPs on camera, says ‘do not beep it out’

Hitting a new low in politics, Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut resorted to using abuses for the “rebel” MPs while addressing the press in New Delhi amid rumours of defections from the party and then brazenly went ahead, asking the media not to beep out the invectives.

Raut hurled abuses at those suspected of leaving the party. “Ye s**le b*****ke log, jo jaa rahe hai,” Raut remarked, referring to the “rebels”. And to stress that it was not a slip of the tongue but a deliberate act, Raut urged mediapersons to not censor his abuses. “Don’t cut it, run it,” he told reporters.

Continuing his attack, Raut accused the rebels of dishonesty, saying, “These people are beimaan [traitors] and beimaani (dishonesty) is in their blood - we have started feeling that.”

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‘Common in Marathi’: Raut defends abusive remarks

Later, on being questioned on his abusive language, Sanjay Raut remained defiant and said he doesn’t regret using the abusive words and he had not said anything wrong, as such expressions are commonly used in Maharashtra and the Marathi language.

“We use such words in Marathi language. What is wrong in it? I very well know what language to use and when. People must be spoken to in the language they understand. What will you say about a person who leaves a party by accepting Rs 15 crores? Will you shower flower petals on such a person?”

He said Shiv Sena (UBT) had started the legal steps and issued a whip ahead of its parliamentary party meeting scheduled for Thursday. It also wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla asking him to act strictly in line with constitutional provisions.

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Party leaders, Congress defend Sanjay Raut

However, Raut’s abusive language left the other party leaders defending him. MP Anil Desai, who was present at the same press conference, said, “Whatever is said, these are slangs, it is not meant for anyone particularly. When an emotionally sensitive person, who has spent 50 years of his life in politics in the public sphere, speaks, such things happen.”

He (Raut) wasn’t addressing any particular person, Desai added.

The Congress party called Raut’s abuse an emotional outburst. Rajya Sabha MP Imran Pratapgarhi said Raut’s anger is justified. “Their party was split, and MLAs were taken away. Now they are being targeted again. Sanjay Raut’s anger is therefore understandable.”

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‘Abuses and insults must have been going on for a long time’

Rivals, however, pounced on Raut and attacked him for using such language.

Maharashtra Minister Sanjay Shirsat said Raut’s language was not right. “I think abusing them and insulting them (rebel MPs) in this manner was not right. This must have been going on for a long time. The result is that today the MPs don’t want to be with them.”

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam also attacked Raut and said that the language reflects the collapse of Uddhav Thackeray’s party.

“Sanjay Raut has now begun abusing them (rebel MPs)... This reflects the collapse of their party’s leadership. They have broken away from Hindutva, leaving workers, cadre, MLAs, and MPs deeply dissatisfied and restless... using such words is unacceptable in civil society.”

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Rs 50 crore deal, with Rs 15 crore in advance

Sanjay Raut also claimed that an “important person” had informed him that attempts were being made to bribe MPs, alleging Rs 50 crore deals with Rs 15 crore as advance. He further said that some rebel MPs refused to board the flight without the advance payment of Rs 15 crore.

He vowed that the party would not spare “backstabbers” and challenged them to resign and openly join the NDA.

He said those elected on the party’s ticket had no right to betray the mandate.

Raut said that if political parties were broken in this way, there was no meaning left in fighting elections. He also warned that Maharashtra and Sena (UBT) workers would not remain silent if there was a repeat of the events that led to the split in the undivided Shiv Sena in 2022.