International Traitors Day row: The row over International Traitors Day is growing bigger in Maharashtra. It all started when Uddhav Thackeray faction Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut requested United Nations to declare June 20 as "World Traitors Day." Raut's request came in the backdrop of political turmoil that the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction faced in June 2022 in Maharashtra. Writing the letter to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, Raut alleged BJP of instigating 40 legislators who left Shiv Sena (UBT).
In the letter addressed to the United Nations, Raut alleged, "On June 20, a huge group of 40 legislators from our Shiv Sena left us after being instigated by the Bharatiya Janata Party. Each of them is said to have taken Rs 50 crores to defect. The BJP used all their might to ensure that Mahavikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra led by Uddhav Thackeray fell. The 40 MLAs who stabbed us were led by a leading legislator Mr Eknath Shinde (who is now the CM of Maharashtra). Alongwith them 10 more Independents supporting MVA government left us."
Now, Maharashtra BJP MLA Nitesh Rane has also jumped on the controversy by calling Uddhav Thackeray as the biggest traitor. "Uddhav Thackeray celebrates his birthday on 27th July. There is no bigger traitor than him. He is one such traitor who betrayed his father's ideology, betrayed Hindutva, betrayed Marathis, Devendra Fadnavis and BJP...That is why, 27th July should be declared "International Traitors Day". I hope the United Nations will take my request under consideration."
