MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday condemned the branding of young student protesters as “cockroaches”, saying history has repeatedly shown how those in power sought to belittle dissent.Drawing a parallel with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, he recalled that the Maratha king was once referred to as a “rat” by the Mughals, and questioned the targeting of teenage protesters.Addressing the book launch event of Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Harshal Pradhan, Thackeray said the protesters being labelled “cockroaches” were only 16-17 years old.“Yuva Shakti has shown that democracy has lost. Today, if a stone is lifted for the right of justice, the person is called a terrorist. Those referred to as cockroaches were aged 16-17 years. Even Shivaji Maharaj was called Chuha (rat) by the Mughals. You call today’s youth cockroaches! The young girl who stopped the police car is being trolled by the fanatics.”Commenting on the proposed Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, Thackeray said the government’s priority should be creating jobs for young people instead of expanding Parliament.“Instead of increasing the number of MPs, it would be better to provide more employment opportunities for these young people. If employment opportunities are increased, you won’t even need to limit MPs; people would happily carry these very same youths on their heads,” he said.The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief also said that if his father, Balasaheb Thackeray, were alive today, the present dispensation would have branded him “anti-Hindu”.“It takes courage to publish a book on the Thackeray family. If Balasaheb Thackeray were there today, he too would have been called anti-Hindu. Religion does not make a man. I can show the words of Balasaheb Thackeray in many speeches that ‘humanity is religion’.”Questioning those who invoke religion for political purposes, Thackeray said:The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader further questioned the moral authority of those who weaponise religion for political dominance, “Don’t you feel ashamed to loot the temple of that very Rama in whose name you gained power?”(With ANI inputs)
