Thackeray targets Shotgun

MUMBAI, SEPT 6: After spewing venom against Dilip Kumar and carping at Sunil Dutt, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has a new target: actor-...

MUMBAI, SEPT 6: After spewing venom against Dilip Kumar and carping at Sunil Dutt, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has a new target: actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha, member of the Sena8217;s alliance partner in the state.

Thackeray8217;s grouse? Sinha, Bharatiya Janata Party member of the Rajya Sabha, has refused to campaign against Dutt, who is contesting the Mumbai North-West Parliamentary constituency on a Congress ticket. The Sena8217;s Madhukar Sarpotdar is looking to defend his seat from here. Sinha had explained that he would not campaign against Dutt since they belonged to the same fraternity.

8220;Sinha has said it would be unethical to campaign against Dutt. I know what is the credibility of this fraternity,8221; boomed Thackeray at a well-attended election rally at Kherwadi, Bandra east on Sunday. Thackeray also took a generous swipe at Sunil Dutt, saying that when Sanjay Dutt was booked under TADA in the bomb blasts case and lodged at Arthur Road jail, Sunil Dutt had approched Thackeray for hisrelease.

8220;We were not in power at the time, but I made concerted efforts to release Sanjay on bail. Not for Sunil Dutt, but for an artiste who was jailed. Along with Sunil, prominent personalities from the film industry had also approached me for Sanjay8217;s release since big money was at stake,8221; he claimed.

At the time, Sunil Dutt had directly blamed the then Chief Minister Sharad Pawar, saying his son was unnecessarily booked in the blasts case. 8220;Dutt was elected from the North-West constituency for three consecutive terms, but has failed to nurse it. Under such circumstances, it is essential to defeat him,8221; Thackeray said.

Thackeray also took on pet hate Dilip Kumar, saying at a juncture when Pakistan is directly sponsoring terrorists to destabilise India, the actor refused to return the Nishan-e-Pakistan award given to him some years ago. 8220;If he is a real citizen of India, he will immediately throw the award away for the cause of the nation and for the revival of the national spirit. We neveropposed Dilip Kumar because he is a Muslim. Not only Dilip Kumar, but in the past, I had strongly criticised the then Prime Minister Morarji Desai who had also accepted the award,8221; added Thackeray.

The Sena chief also came down heavily on Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar for allegedly instigating members of minority communities. 8220;Every one had forgotten the controversy over M F Husain8217;s pictures after the painter tendered an apology. But Pawar has revived the controversy once again for obvious political reasons. I am sure he will not succeed in his evil designs,8221; Thackeray claimed.