Eknath Shinde seeking approval for "stolen property": Sanjay Raut slams Dy CM's meeting with Amit Shah

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 15 : Launching a blistering attack against the Eknath Shinde-led government, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday accused the Maharashtra Chief Minister of "roaming the streets of Delhi with stolen property."
Raut's remarks come amidst Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's visit to the national capital to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Speaking to the media in Mumbai, Raut questioned the state of the rule of law in the country, referring to the Shinde-led faction as a "stolen bundle" taken from Mumbai to Delhi.
"Does the rule of law still exist in this country? Eknath Shinde is roaming the streets of Delhi carrying what I call 'stolen property,' yet the law does not stop him. He has taken this 'stolen bundle' from Mumbai to the country's Home Minister and is saying, 'This is my stolen property. Please give it your approval.' If the Home Minister endorses such actions, I am deeply concerned about the state of the rule of law," Raut said.
His remark come after six Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha MPs, Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav, Bhausaheb Rajaram Wakchaure, Omprakash Bhupalsingh Nimbalkar, Sanjay Dina Patil, Sanjay Uttamrao Deshmukh and Nagesh Bapurao Patil Ashtikar, formally joined the Eknath Shinde faction on July 6, thereby reducing Uddhav Thackeray's strength in the Lok Sabha to three MPs and marking another major setback for the Shiv Sena (UBT) following the split in the party in 2022.
The Rajya Sabha MP also hit back at the BJP for demanding that Uddhav Thackeray recite the 'Ram Raksha' prayer, urging the ruling party to instead address allegations of financial irregularities at the Ayodhya temple.
"No, he will not recite it. First, tell me, do you know the Ram Raksha? Instead of asking that, speak about the alleged theft of ₹5,500 crore from the donation box of the Ram Temple. Whenever we raise that issue, they ask whether we know the prayer. Talk about whether you are involved in that alleged theft... These people have brought Lord Ram onto the streets," Raut asserted.
He further clarified that Uddhav Thackeray will not hold a public meeting at the Ramnagar Temple in Nagpur, but will participate in a 'Ram Raksha' recitation on the road nearby, stating, "We are people of the streets."
Addressing reports regarding the Delimitation Bill and potential rifts within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), Raut dismissed them as "deliberate rumours" spread by the BJP and the Shinde camp.
"The reports claiming that the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) and Shiv Sena (UBT) will support the delimitation bill are false. I just spoke to Supriya Sule. She, too, is surprised by these reports and will explain everything in detail at today's press conference at 12 PM. During the previous Assembly session, discussions were held with the government regarding the nature of the delimitation bill. Arvind Sawant from our party and Supriya Sule were present at those discussions. There is no truth in the claims that parties will be split or that MLAs and MPs will be poached to manufacture a majority," he stated.
Raut also defended NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil's recent meeting with the Chief Minister, stating it was related to the "illegal disqualification" of a councillor in his constituency and not a political crossover.
"I have been hearing discussions for the past few days about who is joining which party. All these are mere rumours. Praful Patel may have gone abroad to attend the FIFA World Cup or for some other reason. Jayant Patil likely met the Chief Minister regarding the illegal disqualification of a councillor from his Assembly constituency in the Islampur region. This is a serious issue for democracy. Jayant Patil is an important leader of the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) and also a key leader of the Maha Vikas Aghadi. These rumours about Shiv Sena, NCP, and Congress are being spread deliberately. The BJP and the Shinde faction have not accomplished much, so such rumours are being circulated," he further said.
Turning towards the ongoing hunger strike by activist Sonam Wangchuk over the NEET paper leak issue, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader expressed grave concern over his deteriorating health and termed it a major national concern that requires immediate attention.