Time for all Marathis to unite,says Uddhav

Accusing the Congress of dividing Marathi people for electoral gain and supporting the rise of the MNS,Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray said on Thursday that it was time for all Marathis....

Accusing the Congress of dividing Marathi people for electoral gain and supporting the rise of the MNS,Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray said on Thursday that it was time for all Marathis which could also include his estranged cousin Raj Thackeray to forge unity and focus on real issues such as the infrastructure problems of Mumbai and Maharashtra instead of fanning a fear psychosis that north Indians were not safe in the financial capital.

The executive president of the Sena,which has been in the news for days now over the Mumbai-for-Maharashtrians controversy,said that Marathi people were probably oversensitive and insecure about Mumbai and blamed it on their struggle to retain Mumbai in Maharashtra when the state was formed. But that did not mean north Indians were being beaten up on the streets of Mumbai by his party or that the city was on fire,he said.

What has happened in Mumbai that everyone is scared? That everyone is saying there is a shadow of fear on the city? Thackeray said in an interview to The Indian Express. Who started all this? First Sachin (Tendulkar) spoke,poor chap spoke unknowingly. Then Mukeshbhai (Ambani) spoke,then (RSS spokesman) Ram Madhav spoke,(RSS chief) Mohan Bhagwat also,but now they have all receded into the background and the Congress has taken over. They are doing this because they think the Sena has become weak after the elections.

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Although he did not name cousin Raj Thackeray or his MNS even once through the hour-long interview,Uddhavs responses and references to the Senas young rival were obvious. He said the ruling party sparked the fire to divide the Marathi political base through someone they had no ties with and were now rejoicing.

This is the Congress tradition isnt it,divide and rule? Congress will not spare any means to divide and break their opponents to come to power. Now Congress has achieved its aim. It feels the Marathi Manoos has been divided. Unfortunately,Maharashtrians did not recognise this at that time, Thackeray said.

Echoing his father Bal Thackerays view expressed after the Shiv Senas poor show in last years Assembly and Lok Sabha elections,Uddhav said it was time Marathi people decided where their interest lay and accused the Congress of hatching a conspiracy to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra.

What we are saying is if we are divided such conspiracies will grow. And this has started. This is not about politics. I am appealing to all Marathi people, Thackeray said. Asked if this applied to the MNS as well,he replied: Samajhnewaalon ko ishara kaafi hai (a hint is enough for those who can understand).

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Considered a moderate leader compared to his father or cousin,Thackeray had gone into a shell after the Senas poor show in the Assembly polls. His return to the limelight in recent weeks with all the controversies surrounding his party is being seen by political observers as an aggressive political makeover. But Thackeray denied there was any such plan and said his aggression depended on the need of situations and issues.

Thackeray also said nothing had changed about his Mee Mumbaikar campaign of 2003. That campaign aimed to develop a pan-Mumbai identity for residents of the financial capital and expand the narrow,Marathi identity of the Shiv Sena. Why do we need to keep saying that Mumbai is for everyone? Of course it is for everyone,but Maharashtrians have the first right over it because it is the capital of Maharashtra, he said.

How much violence has Shiv Sena indulged in? Is there a single instance of the kind in Assam where north Indians are targeted? If tearing posters is violence what would you call 26/11? Going forward,we have to talk about real issues. There is no need to worry about Mumbai or people living in Mumbai. The only fear in Mumbai is the fear of terror attacks, he said.