MNS lets up, Sena targets Bachchans

The Shiv Sena claimed credit for having raised such issues in the first place. Writing his weekly column in party mouthpiece Saamna, Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut said the MNS was raising issues the Sena had taken up four decades ago.

The assertion by Raut, who is the executive editor of Saamna, comes at a time when the MNS is eating into the Shiv Sena8217;s vote base on the issue of Marathi.

8220;Raj Thackeray8217;s party reiterated what the Shiv Sena has been saying for the past 40 years. Jaya Bachchan just helped them. Jaya Bachchan had no reason to get involved in politics, but she did. Hence she will have to bear the consequences,8221; the column said.

Raut highlighted the family8217;s political connections, pointing out that Amitabh had campaigned for the Samajwadi Party while his wife Jaya represented the party in the Rajya Sabha. 8220;Hence the statements had to be looked at from a political perspective,8221; Raut wrote.

Raut acknowledged that the Bachchans are great actors but added, 8220;They can never be greater than Maharashtra.8221;

The column drew parallels with southern actor Rajnikant, who had supported Tamil Nadu in a water dispute with Karnataka, and said that the Hindi film industry had not stood by Maharashtra in times of crisis. Raut also followed Raj Thackeray in taking on Mumbai Joint Commissioner of Police K L Prasad for his remarks on 8220;Mumbai not belonging to anyone8217;s father.8221;

8220;Civil servants need to exercise more restraint than politicians. If an officer had made such remarks in any other state, he would not have been allowed to stay in the post or in the state for a day. This was allowed as Maharashtra is tolerant and silent.8221;