In a sharply worded editorial published in its mouthpiece Saamana, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has come out in strong praise of RSS Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat’s recent meeting with over 70 Muslim clerics and intellectuals, describing it as a “nation-building gesture” at a time when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its “neo-Hindutva contractors” are allegedly deepening communal rifts across India.

“At a time when some people want to ignite political fire by distorting Hindutva, the RSS chief’s initiative is praiseworthy as the DNA of Hindus and Muslims of Hindustan is the same. Therefore, both communities need to work together. We are all in the same boat. If the boat sinks, everyone will sink. The role of the Sarsanghchalak is to build the nation. For this, RSS chief needs to be praised,” the editorial said.

The Thackeray camp stated that Mohan Bhagwat showed “sensitivity” to the pain and role of Muslim intellectuals, especially in the face of a sustained campaign by some BJP factions to vilify the community.

However, the editorial did not hold back its fire on the BJP's more aggressive elements, warning that Bhagwat’s gesture may not sit well with them.

“But, will this attempt of RSS to get closer to the Muslim community be liked by the new contractors of Hindutva in the BJP? Especially, the neo-Hindutva activists of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Maharashtra and Delhi, who have recently created a ruckus in the name of Hindutva, will oppose it. The new cleric in the Maharashtra cabinet, Nitesh Rane, must have been shocked by this attitude of Bhagwat, and due to this, Minister Rane may resign. Because given the venom that this gentleman has spewed against Muslims in the last few days, the current stance of the Sarsanghchalak will not be acceptable to such groups,” it added.

The editorial accused these elements of deliberately creating Hindu-Muslim tension for political gain.“These people were at the forefront of creating Hindu-Muslim divisions by targeting Muslims for political gains, provoking Hindu society to create differences, and giving slogans like ‘Batenge to Katenge’, ‘Ek Hain to Safe Hain’ during the assembly elections,” the editorial charged, citing the recent killing of Santosh Deshmukh, Mahadev Munde, and Harshal Patil in Maharashtra, and the deaths of 700 farmers, as evidence of broader societal failure.

Citing the Pahalgam terror attack, the Shiv Sena (UBT) editorial said, “The murder was committed by Pakistanis, but the pro-Hindutva Home Minister Amit Shah has not been able to arrest the killers yet.”

On Prime Minister Modi, the editorial was even harsher. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in a state of Samadhi and has maintained silence on all this. Those who are spewing venom are the same who are amending the Waqf Board Act. Muslim leaders are also unhappy with this. BJP wants to sell the valuable lands of the Waqf Board to cronies. If this happens, then another mask of the BJP's conspiracy will be removed.”

In a veiled attack on Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde and his camp, the Thackeray faction said:“Some fake Hindutvaites of Maharashtra went to a temple in Guwahati and slaughtered buffaloes. There may be thousands of flaws in Hinduism, but the thinkers and reformers who attacked those flaws have emerged from this society. Their continuous attacks were successful in breaking the framework of the evils prevalent in Hinduism.”

It warned against fanaticism in all religions, recalling the assassinations of social reformers like Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare, and Prof. Kalburgi.

The editorial then turned its attention to what it described as “ritualistic worship” of PM Modi:“People have started considering Narendra Modi as an incarnation of God, Vishnu. And then, these incarnations of Vishnu wake up every day and tell lies, and the devotees clap for those lies. This kind of Hindutva is dangerous and anti-national.”

“By deciding that only we will live in India and people of other religions do not even have the right to vote, the names of Muslims, Christians and Dalits are being removed — first from Maharashtra and now from Bihar. This should be the real subject of contemplation among Sarsanghchalak Bhagwat and Muslim intellectuals,” the editorial declared.

Recalling the historic contributions of Muslims in India’s freedom struggle and defence, the Shiv Sena (UBT) wrote:

“Muslim soldiers sacrificed in every war with Pakistan. About 16 Indian citizens of Poonch and Rajouri were killed in the attack carried out by Pakistan during 'Operation Sindoor'. They were also Muslims. If the names of Hamid Dalwai and Yusuf Meher Ali have not reached the ears of the new Hindutva contractors of Maharashtra, then they should clean their ears.”

It concluded with a rousing call for unity: “Some people want to ignite political fire by distorting Hindutva. However, the Neo Hindutva activists and the Hindutva contractors are seriously disturbed, but they should realise that both Hindu and Muslim communities are important and they should together contribute to nation building.”