‘Keep the fire in your mind alive, bring down the arrogant BJP government’: Thackeray

HomeNext ‘Keep the fire in your mind alive, bring down the arrogant BJP government’: Thackeray Thousands of placard-holding and slogan-shouting youth and political workers had gathered at the Sena (UBT) rally at Shivaji Park, demanding the resignation of human resources development minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Thackeray, however, said this was no longer enough, and the need of the hour was to bring down the central government.

Published on: Jul 20, 2026, 08:26:33 IST By Saurabha Kulshreshtha Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link MUMBAI: Announcing his full support to activists Sonam Wangchuk and Abhijeet Dipke who are protesting in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar against the NEET paper leak, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday slammed the BJP-led central government for its “governance failure” and “arrogance in referring to the country’s youth as ‘cockroaches’ ”.

He also urged the irate youth to “keep the fire in their mind alive” and urged them to take the battle to every corner of India to save the nation’s freedom and future.

Thousands of placard-holding and slogan-shouting youth and political workers had gathered at the Sena (UBT) rally at Shivaji Park, demanding the resignation of human resources development minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

“We don’t need a government that cannot give us employment, education and accountability,” he said.

“We need to bring down this arrogant BJP-led government to protect the future of the youth, which is the future of the nation.” Thackeray said he had not come to lead the youth but to urge them to lead the nation in this battle.

“I can see the fire in your mind,” he said.

“Keep this alive till this government goes out of power.

The anger of the youth present here is a spark that will spread across the country and turn into a fire against the BJP-led government.” Thackeray added that the BJP government stole votes, stole donations from the Ram temple and was now stealing the future of the youth and the country.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief also lambasted the government’s use of force in removing Wangchuk from the protest site at Jantar-Mantar and its preparations to crack down on the July 20 protest called by Dipke.

“If the government had conducted exams properly, it would not have needed to do things like using security forces against protesters,” he said.

“Now the atom bomb of the youth’s anger is sitting under the throne of this government.

This government always speaks about One Nation One Election.

I dare it to hold elections all over the country now, and watch how the youth dethrones it.” Thackeray also lauded Wangchuk’s contribution to the country and his invention that helped the armed forces fight in sub-zero temperatures.

“Let’s discuss what this government has given the country and what Wangchuk has given it,” he said.

“People like Wangchuk are born once in a blue moon and any government should use their talent to serve the country instead of harassing them.” The Sena (UBT) chief said that the RSS had advised the Modi government to hold discussions with Pakistan but the government had no time to hold a discussion with Wangchuk.

“They call Wangchuk anti-national,” he said.

“Who is patriotic then?

This government has no love for India; it loves only Adani and a handful of businessmen.” Thackeray also took a swipe at PM Narendra Modi, saying he offered “chocolates to Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni but bullets to the youth of the nation”.

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