On Saturday, Fadnavis denied having a secret meeting with Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai, saying the stories are false and those sharing them on social media will be dealt with. He stated there’s no need for them to discuss anything secretly, and if Thackeray did want to meet, it would be in public.
Denial of secret meeting with Uddhav Thackeray
After praying to Lord Shiv in Trimbakeshwar, Fadnavis told reporters, “Why would I secretly meet Uddhav Thackeray? We don’t have anything to talk about in secret. And if Uddhav Thackeray wants to see me, we can meet openly.”
He also confirmed that the meeting didn’t happen. This denial comes after a news outlet tied to the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi said Fadnavis and Thackeray met Wednesday around midnight at Varsha, the Chief Minister’s home in Mumbai.
Action against false news claims
Fadnavis said some people are deliberately spreading false news, and social media accounts doing so will receive official warnings. He said “fake news accounts” will be punished, and he is responding to what he calls a deliberate attempt to misinform people.
He described these reports as being part of a larger trend of rumors, with lots of political discussion going on. He repeated that he is happy to meet with political opponents publicly, if necessary, and believes in transparency.
Here are Fadnavis’s key positions as stated on Saturday:
– No secret meeting with Uddhav Thackeray
– Any meeting can happen openly and transparently
– Notices will go to handles posting false news
– Public should avoid reacting to unverified claims
Response to historical claims about Shivaji Maharaj and Samarth Ramdas
When asked about Dheerendra Shastri’s statements about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Samarth Ramdas, Fadnavis said there’s nothing in the history we’re taught, or in any available books, to suggest they ever met. “There’s no proof in history to back up these claims,” he said.
Shastri had claimed Shivaji Maharaj once offered to give up being king and give his crown to Samarth Ramdas, but Samarth Ramdas gave it back and told Shivaji to take care of his kingdom. Fadnavis said stories about important people often change from place to place and that it’s best to avoid causing unnecessary arguments.
Calls for restraint and responsible reactions
Fadnavis asked people to fully understand things before they respond. “It’s not okay to create problems for no reason,” he explained, and said that when dealing with religion and history, we need to react carefully.
Samarth Ramdas, a saint and poet from the 1600s, started a religious movement to bring religion and spirituality back to many different groups of people. Some people think he was Shivaji Maharaj’s spiritual advisor, but many historians disagree.
Interpretation of remarks on RSS and culture
Regarding Shastri’s suggestion that people should have four children and have one of them join the RSS, Fadnavis said a lot of people have opinions and they should be understood as they are given. He said Shastri meant it as a way of supporting the continuation of Hindu culture.
Fadnavis said Shastri’s intention was that because the RSS works to preserve Hindu culture and ancient traditions (Sanatan tradition), one son from each family could become a member of the RSS. Shastri made this comment at a ceremony in Nagpur the day before.
Kumbh Mela preparations in Nashik
Fadnavis said that the plans for the upcoming Kumbh Mela in Nashik are going well, but they need to be sped up. He wants coordination meetings with religious leaders and the akharas (monastic orders) to happen more often and for more people to be at them, to make sure they stay on schedule.
He also added that cleaning up the rivers and saving water are very important parts of the plans, along with efforts to promote cultural understanding. He said the goal is to have everything running smoothly for the very large religious event.
