Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday intensified his criticism of Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, accusing him of moving closer to the Congress and allegedly supporting a political strategy based on using infiltrators as a vote bank. Shah said India was not a “dharmshala” and asserted that only genuine citizens of the country would be allowed to remain.

Addressing a gathering, Shah took a dig at the ongoing political differences within the Shiv Sena, saying that earlier the Shinde-led group had to be referred to separately. However, he claimed that the situation had changed and that there was now only one Shiv Sena, headed by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

His comments come at a time when the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) is facing internal challenges, with reports suggesting that some of its Lok Sabha MPs may break away and join the Shinde faction of the party. Taking aim at Thackeray and Congress leaders, Shah alleged that they were attempting to gain political advantage by turning infiltrators into a vote bank. He stated that national security and the interests of Indian citizens would remain the government’s priority.

Shah further said that every infiltrator would be identified and removed from the country. He emphasized that India’s resources and opportunities should primarily benefit its citizens and not those who have entered the country illegally. The remarks add to the ongoing political battle between the two Shiv Sena factions, which split after Eknath Shinde’s rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership and the formation of a new government in Maharashtra.