His heart bleeds for uncle; Sena says political stunt
Raj Thackeray, it seems, is determined not to let any chance go to catch Shiv Sena on the wrong foot.
After succeeding in dragging Shiv Sena behind him on the issue of Marathi signboards, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief played another master stroke on Monday. He extended an emotional support to Bal Thackeray, who is facing a notice from a parliamentary committee.
The committee, headed by Congress MP Kishorchandra Deo, is likely to summon Thackeray and question him about his remarks (published in an editorial in Sena mouthpiece Saamna) against the MPs from Bihar. Raj said on Monday that he would not allow the notice to be served on Thackeray.
"If Balasaheb is served such a notice, no official or politician from UP and Bihar will be able to land at Mumbai airport. There will be bloodshed, but we will not let the notice reach Balasaheb. I would rather be the one to face it," Raj said.
He said that such a notice to Thackeray would be an insult of Maharashtra. "The move to parade the old and sick Balasaheb shows the arrogance of Delhi. The time has come when one should counter the arrogance. The committee should not challenge the warriors of Maharashtra. Even if the notice has been drafted, we the 11 crore people of Maharashtra will unite forgetting all differences to show Delhi our muscle power," he said.
Reacting to Raj's statement, Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut said, "Shiv Sena is capable of handling any challenge, coming from any quarter. Nobody can even touch a hair of Bal Thackeray."
Taunting Raj, he added. "Shiv Sena is a political party which respects and believes in democratic and parliamentary functions. We have already contested Lok Sabha and assembly elections. We are well versed with the parliamentary practices. Why should somebody who has left Balasaheb worry about notices against him? MNS should stop worrying about Balasaheb. Sena is used to such notices and threats against Thackeray. In the past, when Balasaheb was technically arrested, thousands of committed Sainiks had spilled on to the streets."
However, Raj claimed that his stand was not political. "Someone may see it as a political stunt, but it is not. The respected leaders of Maharashtra are our pride. It is different thing that Balasaheb is my uncle. I have always condemned the insult of Maharashtra's leaders. I was the only person to attack Abu Azmi when he advised Sharad Pawar to beg," he said.
t_kiran@dnaindia.net
