Safeguard Mumbai’s identity, Thackeray brothers appeal for unity among Marathi voters

He was speaking at a public rally in Shivaji Park, a second joint rally with Uddhav after the Nashik rally, last week.

“We have come together and buried our differences to ensure the protection of Maharashtra. We are telling you all why we want to win against Mumbai. For them (Mahayuti) they want to win to hand it over to Adani,” said Uddhav Thackeray, in his rather emotional speech. “I stand with folded hands in front of the saffron clad soldiers. I don’t do it often. I am telling you to not be a bystander,” said Uddhav.

“We are taking the pledge that we will not let Mumbai break, not allow anyone to break it and not let it bow down. And we will face this battle,” he said.

The MNS chief in his speech while showing the growth of Adani group of companies since 2014 in various sectors, such as power, cement, ports, airports, he read out how Adani companies were expanding in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).

“The plan was always to snatch Mumbai from Maharashtra and attach it with Gujarat. And to do it, they are using money, buying lands, settling people here and electing their representatives…Grabbing the land is a long term plan brewing. The plan is to displace you. Land is real estate, a true one. Land and language is your identity. Once it is gone, your identity is over. Many in the world have suffered. That threat is knocking on your door now,” said Raj Thackeray.

He said that if the corporations are in our hands the sale of land will be stopped. “That’s the reason why they (the BJP) are so desperate to win,” he added.

“Throw money, divide people and don’t let them come together. That’s the strategy they are working on…these examples are to isolate Marathi people. First it was with Jains over pigeons then some Tamil politician comes and utters non-sense. Don’t fall for that,” he said referring to the Tamil Nadu BJP leader Annamalai’s statement on Mumbai not being part of Maharashtra.

Uddhav, while appealing to non-Marathi voters of Mumbai, said that they should remember that it was always the Sena worker who came to their help when needed. He targeted the BJP saying it was raising the Hindu-Muslim divide to divert the attention of people from this. “I will give Rs one lakh to Devendra Fadnavis if he could show a single election where he did not raise Hindu-Muslim issues,” he said. Uddhav in his speech dared Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to talk about the real issues of Mumbai and not communal ones.

“The BJP which once said nation first, now says corruption first. They want rapists in their party and people accused of links to the underworld.”

Recalling Shivaji Park as the place where Shiv Sena was formed by his uncle late Bal Thackeray, Raj Thackeray said that him standing with his cousin Uddhav would be a moment cherished by their grandfather and social reformer Prabodhankar Thackeray, his uncle Bal Thackeray had they been alive.

“I formed the alliance after 20 years and the process may have hurt people. I apologise if they felt so as I can understand their feelings. I hope that they will return,” he said.

Earlier, speaking at the rally Worli MLA Aaditya Thackeray said that it was the BMC and Maharashtra government led by Thackeray which was at the forefront in launching every developmental project in the city. “My offer still stands. I will show you photos of inauguration work on the coastal road in Mumbai. Find Devendra Fadnavis and I will give Rs 3000 to anyone who does that,” he said, while reading out a list of works started by the BMC when the Thackeray’s were in power and appealed to the crowd to ensure voting for the Shivshakti alliance.

NCP(SP) leader and former minister Jayant Patil said that the next mayor of Mumbai would be decided by Thackeray brothers.