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Thackeray lashes out at Rahul, calls him frustrated bachelor Mumbai, February 3 Hitting out at Rahul for his statement on role of north Indian commandos in protecting Mumbai during the 26/11, the write up accused the Congress leader of ignoring the sacrifices made by the Maharashtrian policemen who lost their lives in the attack. “The prince of the Congress party has lost his mental balance because he is still single despite his advancing age... he has insulted the Marathi people and Maharashtra in his frustration,” the editorial said. “Since Rahul won’t grow any further physically, he has now grown horns..... and is making such statements,” the comment added. The article went on to say that Mumbai like other parts of India may well belong to other Indians but “how can Mumbai belong to an Italian mummy.” “Mumbai first belongs to Maharashtra and Marathis, and then to all Indians. If anyone destroys this truth... he will come to grief,” the piece said. The editorial also demanded an apology from Rahul for his remarks . “Even his great grandfather Pandit Nehru had to apologise for his anti-Marathi remarks in the 1960s,” it said.“Politicians from north India have always been anti-Maharashtra and against the Marathi manoos.... Only the Shiv Sena can rescue Mumbai from them,” the write up added.
‘Sena has no takers in M’rashtra’
Chennai, February 3 “Even in Maharashtra there is no support for his (Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray’s) views,” said Karunandidhi here. Thackeray had on Sunday attacked parties that countered Sena’s views by saying that ‘Mumbai was all for Indians.’ Referring to South India, the DMK patriarch said: “There is no political party in the region which has a narrow view and seeks to drive out people speaking a language different than that of the majority.” “No one in the South is anti-Hindi. No one says there is no place for north Indians,” he added. He announced that the highest decision making body of the DMK, the general council and executive committee would meet on February 20 to discuss the resettlement of Sri Lankan Tamils. A resolution urging the Centre to ask the Lankan government to ensure speedy resettlement for all displaced Tamils will be passed, he said. Karunanidhi said the Tamil Nadu government cannot take any unilateral decision on the plea by Nalini, a life convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, for her release. “This is a major issue that has to be discussed at the national level. Therefore, we cannot unilaterally take a decision on it,” he said. “We have appointed an advisory board to consider Nalini’s plea and it would sent the report to the state government soon,” said the CM.
Mumbai not Thackeray’s fiefdom: UP Cong Lucknow, February 3 Addressing a press conference, UP Congress Legislature Party leader Pramod Tiwari challenged Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray to muster courage to make such statements in New Delhi or outside the protective environment of his home. Charging Thackeray of losing his mental balance due to the frustration of electoral defeats and advancing years, Tiwari said the Shiv Sena chief and his family should remember that Mumbai was not their fiefdom nor did it give them the liberty to cross all limits and make derogatory remarks against Rahul Gandhi. He said if Thackeray did not take back his words against Rahul, the Congress would be forced to ask him about the mysterious death of his son and the circumstances due to which his daughter-in-law Smita Thackeray made a desperate exit from his house in the middle of the night. Asking the BJP to clarify its stand on its alliance with the Shiv Sena, Tiwari wondered how the BJP could continue in an alliance with the Shiv Sena that had completely gone berserk. Refusing to admit that the Congress-led government in Maharashtra was not doing enough to punish the Thackerays, Tiwari maintained many cases under appropriate sections had been filed against them and the law would take its course.
Cong says won’t respond to undignified remarks New Delhi, February 3 In response to the Shiv Sena raking up the foreign origin issue of the Congress president, party spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan said the Congress would not like to dignify “such undignified remarks with a response”. Congress sources said the party had decided not to respond to any derogatory statements coming from Shiv Sena leaders directly or via their mouthpiece Samana. “Such statements do not warrant a response. By giving a response you only end up giving nonsensical rubbish undue importance,” they said. Stepping up its attack on Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi for his “Mumbai for all Indians” remark, Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray once again raked up Sonia Gandhi’s foreign origin in the party mouthpiece Saamna. He is understood to have said, “Mumbai may belong to all Indians but how can it belong to an Italian mummy.” Rahul Gandhi had criticised both the Shiv Sena and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) for their unwarranted attacks on north Indians in his recent visit to Bihar. He is likely to visit Mumbai on February 5 in connection with the membership drive of the Youth Congress. Party leaders believe it will be a good opportunity for the young Congress leader, who during his visit to Bihar was welcomed for his statement that every inch of India belongs to each and every Indian, to reiterate his point of view in Maharashtra. Meanwhile, Natarajan said there was a “pernicious attempt” by the Shiv Sena to polarise the country on regional identities. “We strongly condemn any attempt to polarise our nation on chauvinistic lines and regional identity and any attempts to create discord and disaffection among citizens of different states,” she said. But she chose to play safe on questions whether it favoured a ban on the Shiv Sena and its mouthpiece for attempting to “polarise” masses. “This is a question of law. We will call upon the people of the country to reject the ideology of hate and divisiveness spread by the Shiv Sena. We are sure that the Maharshtra government will take an action prescribed under the law at proper time”.
It’s a Congress plot, says BJP New Delhi, February 3 Party insiders feel that the Congress had a rethink after Shiv Sena won the Bhiwandi Assembly bypoll, which was seen as the resurgence of the Shiv Sena. As part of the plan, the Maharashtra government imposed the condition of compulsory knowledge of Marathi and a record of 15-year stay in Maharashtra for driving a taxi in Mumbai, they added. This was hailed by Sena rival, Raj Thackeray. However, after receiving criticism for the move from other quarters, the Congress-NCP government promptly backtracked on it. But in the process they gave a handle to the MNS.Not to be left behind in espousal of ‘Marathi Manoos’ cause, the Shiv Sena was forced to come out with a more strident stand. Declaring ‘Mumbai for Maharashtrians alone, the Sena also dragged in Shah Rukh Khan to attract headlines. SRK, who owns the Kolkata Knight Riders, had criticised IPL-3 organisers for not including Pakistani cricketers in the forthcoming tournament The BJP, caught in a cleft on the issue because of its long standing alliance with the Shiv Sena, feels that the entire thing is aimed at breaking its alliance with the Sena to politically benefit the Congress and the NCP in Maharashtra On record too, BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar stated that the issue has been ignited by the Congress-NCP administration which aided Raj Thackeray to attack north Indians. “They have a government but they did nothing when the north Indians were being attacked,” he said. On SRK issue, the BJP spokesman did not directly condemn the Sena for threatening Khan but said: “We are against all forms of violence and any threat. Every person has a right to express his views on any issue and should have full freedom to do so.”
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