Hindustan Times ST (Mumbai) - Live
CM to Sena leaders: Go on offensive against MNS, BJP
MUMBAI: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday asked party spokespersons to go aggressive against the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) when countering the two parties. At a meeting with spokespersons, Thackeray also instructed them to expose the “bogus” Hindutva of Raj Thackeray, who heads the MNS. The chief minister also met Sena MPs at his official residence Varsha.
In the last two weeks, Sena has been cornered by both the MNS and BJP over the Hanuman Chalisa row and the use of loudspeakers on religious structures.
Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande said, “Uddhav ji directed us to inform people of the work done by the state government. He also asked us to give a befitting reply to BJP and the MNS’s bogus politics around Hindutva.”
“Uddhav ji said both the parties were only interested in creating chaos and if they provoked us, we shouldn’t spare them,” Kayande added.
Sanjay Raut, Sena chief spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP, said Thackeray slammed Raj over his role when Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992 and when the Ram Janmabhoomi movement was on. “The main discussion was around strengthening the party. Uddhav ji spoke to us about the constituencies and the recent developments.”
He said, “Uddhav ji asked us to counter the opposition allegations firmly... What is the connection of the opponents with Hindutva? Sena has sacrificed the most for Hindutva in the country. Balasaheb Thackeray lost the right to vote for six years. In the 1992 riots, thousands of Shiv Sainiks sacrificed their lives. At that time, the people, who are now talking about Hindutva, were hiding. They don’t have the right to speak about it.”
The Sena chief is slated to address a rally in Mumbai on May 14.
The party has planned Thackeray’s rally in Marathwada on June 8.
“We are finalising the date for Sena leader and environment minister Aaditya Thackeray’s visit to Ayodhya. We are not guests in Ayodhya as we don’t use Lord Ram for politics,” Raut said.