Mumbai: Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde has slammed the Opposition for comparing Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Aurangzeb. Reacting to Shiv Sena (UBT) Sanjay Raut’s veiled attack at PM Modi, Shinde said the remark was an insult to the nation.

“It’s very unfortunate that the PM who has fulfilled Balasaheb’s dream of Ram Mandir has been compared with Aurangzeb. It’s an insult to the nation, and people will give them a befitting reply in the election,” he said.

Eknath Shinde said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has fulfilled Bal Thackeray’s dream of revoking Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and he shouldn’t be compared with the Mughal ruler.

“PM Modi has fulfilled Balasaheb Thackeray’s dream by revoking Article 370. Yet, they are still comparing PM Modi to the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb,” he added.

On Thursday, Sanjay Raut invoked the Gujarat link of Pakistan’s founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah to launch a veiled attack at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union home minister Amit Shah.

Also read: PM Modi reacts to ‘Aurangzeb’ jibe: ‘Got 104th abuse today’

“Maharashtra faced trouble 400 years ago in the form of Aurangzeb. What Aurangzeb did is being done by two political leaders sitting in Delhi. Aurangzeb was born in Gujarat, so was Mohammad Ali Jinnah who gave birth to Pakistan.”

He, however, refrained from naming the two leaders.

“The condition in the country is same. Aurangzeb acted in a way that he would speak sweetly to everyone and seize the kingdom. He even adopted the policy of divide and rule. And the people from Gujarat who went to Delhi have adopted the same policy for Maharashtra and the country. History is repeating itself,” Sanjay Raut said.

Sanjay Raut, a confidant of former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, is one of the foremost critics of PM Modi. He is also known for making sharp remarks against his political opponents.

With inputs from PTI, ANI