Thackeray calls on Kusumagraj

NASHIK, Feb 28: It was a different Thackeray that called on Jnanpith award winner Marathi poet and playwright Vishnu Waman Shirwadkar Kusumagraj’ on Sunday evening. The man who had raised a furore after he likened the Sahitya Sammelan to a bull market visited the ailing Kusumagraj at the latter’s house to wish him well and also to compliment him on his 87th birthday. Thackeray was accompanied with Uddhav, Raj and former chief minister Manohar Joshi.

It may be recalled that during the controversy, Kusumagraj had reprimanded litterateurs for criticising the government and had stated that they should not seek government funds for their conferences. Thackeray had invited the wrath of litterateurs, when he asked them to first return the Rs 25 lakh given by government.