Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has strongly criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Ek hai toh safe hai” (We are safe if we are united) slogan, asserting that Maharashtra is already a safe state. Raut’s remarks came after Modi’s rally in Dhule on Friday, where he emphasized unity among people and criticized Congress for fostering divisions. Raut, however, claimed that whenever Modi visits Maharashtra, his presence tends to stir unrest rather than foster peace.
According to Raut, Maharashtra is already safe, but PM Modi’s visits only lead to division and provoke communal unrest. He further accused the Prime Minister of failing to unite the state with his rhetoric. “I don’t understand why PM Modi is using such language. After the earlier slogan ‘Batenge toh katenge’ failed, he has now introduced this new one,” Raut stated. He added that, to truly ensure safety and peace, the BJP should be removed from power in Maharashtra.
During his Dhule rally, PM Modi appealed for unity among people, suggesting that the Congress and its allies aim to create divisions among different castes. He argued that Congress does not want progress for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). “Remember, ‘Ek hai toh safe hai,'” Modi urged, seeking to position his message as a call for national unity. Modi also accused the opposition of attempting to provoke Dalits and Adivasis by misrepresenting the Constitution.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi responded to Modi’s remarks by questioning the implication of his slogan. “Does this mean that we haven’t been safe for the past 10 years?” Owaisi asked, suggesting that the Prime Minister’s statement undermines the safety of the people during his own tenure. In his speech, PM Modi also targeted the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), a coalition of Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP), calling it a “vehicle that has neither wheels nor brakes.”
Modi further stated that the MVA is plagued by internal conflict, with each party vying for control of the driver’s seat. PM Modi is scheduled to hold eight more rallies across Maharashtra as the state approaches its assembly elections on November 20. The counting of votes will take place three days after the election.
