Taking the war of words to a new level, Rahul Gandhi yesterday(2 feb) launched a verbal assault at Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and the MNS for their tirade against migrants from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
Addressing a rally in Gaya, Bihar, he had said, "In Maharashtra, MNS leader Raj Thackeray keeps on saying throw out people of Bihar and UP. But, who killed the terrorists who had attacked Mumbai? They were the NSG guys from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and from the rest of the country."
"At that time they did not say throw out Biharis," he added.
Reacting to the Congress leader's statements, the Sena-MNS brigade came out all guns blazing. "He should first answer who was responsible for the 26/11 attack. It was because of the failure of their government that the city had to face such turmoil,"said Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut.
Shirish Parker, MNS MLA, said, "It is because of his forefathers that there have been attacks in the country. If his great grandfather, grandmother and father had run the country properly, we wouldn't have seen these problems." It said Rahul's great grandfather (Jawaharlal Nehru) could not move freely in Mumbai after his comments against Marathi and Mumbai and warned Rahul against making irresponsible statements regarding the city.
He added, "Rahul should look at his conscience before making such a statement as it was his party that was in power in the state and Centre and still they couldn't stop the attack."
The Sena also warned Rahul against creating a rift among the soldiers of the country in the name of religion and state.
"Rahul should stop discriminating between the soldiers on the basis of caste and religion. A soldier fights for the country and is supposed to go anywhere in the country when they are required," said Raut.
"By making this statement he has insulted the 17 Maharashtrian policemen who lost their lives before the NSG arrived. We never questioned why the NSG took two and a half days to settle things," said Parker.
The MNS leader also pointed out that had the Congress done enough groundwork in north India the residents would never venture to other states in search of employment.
"More than 50 lakh locals here are unemployed. We are fighting for their rights. Our party will ensure Rahul apologises to the Maharashtrians and takes back his words," said Parker.
A senior IPS officer on condition of anonymity said, "Being in a disciplinary force I would not comment on a political remark, but we will do everything possible to maintain law and order in the city."
Sena hits out at Rahul, says Mumbai not for 'Italian mummy'
3 feb 2010
"Mumbai may belong to all Indians but how can it belong to an Italian mummy," Thackeray said in an editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamna'.
"The 'Prince of Congress' is totally frustrated and it is in this frustration he has insulted Marathi people and Maharashtra," he said.
The Sena leader said Mumbai was not a "dharamshala" (guesthouse) of the country that "anyone comes to Mumbai, spits here and leaves."
Referring to the 105 people killed during the Sanyukta Maharashtra Movement dating back to the 1920s, he said, "Have 105 martyrs sacrificed their lives so that Mumbai becomes a dharamshala (guest house)".
"Saying that Bihari commandos protected Mumbai during the 26/11 attacks is like insulting the sacrifice of policemen like Hemant Karkare, Vijay Salaskar, Ashok Kamte and Tukaram Omble,".
Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray said the "Mumbai-for-all" debate was a conspiracy by the Congress to sever Mumbai and Vidarbha from Maharashtra. Speaking to reporters here, Uddhav said the Shiv Sena would take to the streets, if necessary, on the issue.
He also slammed Chief Minister Ashok Chavan for making a U-turn on making it mandatory for applicants for new taxi permits to have knowledge of Marathi "under pressure from Delhi".
Three Shiv Sena leaders were stripped of their security cover on Monday afternoon. MLA and BMC Standing Committee Chairman Ravindra Waikar, MLA Bala Sawant (Bandra-East) and MLC Anil Parab, alleged that the decision to recall their police protection was the government's response to their role in the Sena protests during Rahul Gandhi's visit on February 5.
An angry Waikar said, "This withdrawing of our security cover sends out the signal that no one should dare agitate against Congress leaders. Not even in a Gandhian way. The Congress party is brazenly misusing power.
"I have been told by certain sources that since we greeted Rahul Gandhi with black flags and shouted anti-Rahul slogans, our security cover has been removed.
Waikar also claimed to have received fresh threat calls last week. "I registered a police complaint at the MIDC police station and even wrote to senior police authority to increase my security cover. Instead of taking my request seriously they simply pulled off my security cover.
Now, I will be forced to carry a weapon to protect myself.
Sawant, another Sena MLA from Bandra-east said he will work without police protection. "I have been told that there will be no more police security cover for me.
My party colleagues will be there to protect me from all kinds of untoward incidents," said Sawant, adding that the decision to recall the security cover has "exposed the Congress and its leadership."
Rahul Gandhi told to marry Dalit girl
Thackeray calls Rahul a 'frustrated bachelor'
Feb 9 -
Rattled by Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi's 'local train yatra' in Mumbai, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Tuesday fired a fresh salvo against him for calling Mumbai as 'Bombay' during his recent public meetings.
"During his speech here, Rahul Gandhi repeatedly called Mumbai as Bombay. Those who want to break Mumbai away from Maharashtra call Mumbai as Bombay," Thackeray said in an editorial in party mouthpiece "Saamna."
The 39-year-old Rahul's Mumbai visit was like the "funeral procession of Congress" taken out by Marathi people, Thackeray commented, ridiculing the massive police protection deployed by the Maharashtra government for the "Congress Yuvraj."
Thackeray also blasted the state's minister of state for home Ramesh Bagwe, who was seen carrying Rahul's shoes, apparently for safe-keeping, during the Congress leader's visit here. "The minister should be ashamed to stoop so low," the Sena chief said, telling him that "Rahul Gandhi is not Mahatma Gandhi so that his shoes should be held close to the heart."
Social revolution -
If all this was not enough, the Republican Party of India leader Ramdas Athawale also jumped into the controversy and asked Rahul Gandhi to marry a Dalit girl and bring in a social revolution.
"The casteism and social disharmony will not go away just by visiting Dalit colonies or shaking hands with Dalit people... Rahul should marry a Dalit girl to bring in a true social revolution. I shall ask Sonia Gandhi to select a Dalit girl for Rahul," Athawale said at his party's convention.👏
Shiv Sena on Friday accused the Centre of using Mumbai, the financial capital, as an ATM and said that if security arrangements made for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during his visit here are in place for the common man there would be no terrorist attacks in Mumbai.
Referring to Rahul's stop at an ATM enroute to Andheri station, Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray said "Mumbai has been made an ATM (Any Time Money) of Delhi. One can take away Mumbai's money anytime to Delhi. This is the mentality we are fighting against."Mumbai is the Highest paying tax city in india or may be world ,its Rs 95000 crores(some time 1.15 lakh crore) by way of direct tax Alone with an additional octroi cess above that.Yet,It has received less than 3% for its own development..In our rule we have maded more then 40 flyovers and Mumbai-Pune Expressway were constructed under the Shiv Sena administration 1998-2004,which led to a significant infrastructural boom in Mumbai.And the latest worli-bandra sea link ruote,that too our government has passed this project in our rule.But this present gov is so lazy they take 10 years to complete it.
Ridiculing the heavy security (10000 policemen) blanket thrown in the city for Rahul's visit, Uddhav told reporters that "only Rahul felt insecure in Mumbai. Even if he was to travel without security, he would not have been harmed."
"The Chief Minister was in the role of a policeman for two hours and Minister of State for Home was looking after Rahul's shoes", the Shiv Sena leader said.
"It looked like as if Italian Mussolini had come to Mumbai. His schedule in the city was curtailed for just 3/4 hrs.In this visit do he visited to those houses,whom family members or friends got killed in mumbai attack?"
I am giving up my security: Uddhav Thackeray
Mumbai,Feb 10 :Taking umbrage at Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan's threat to withdraw his security cover, Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray has said that he was himself giving it up.
"What does he (Chavan) mean by talking of withdrawing my security? I am myself giving up the security," the Shiv Sena executive president said in a page one statement in the party mouthpiece Saamna.
"My security can go to Kasab," he said, and asked sarcastically who the two most secure people in Mumbai were -- Shah Rukh Khan and Kasab.
"We have not asked for this security so they are not answerable to us. They will leave only after the state government orders them," Sena spokesperson Neelam Gorhe told IANS.
Gorhe reiterated that the party had "a difference of opinion" with Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan and his new movie "My Name Is Khan" and the party activists were spontaneously reacting in this regard.
Mah,CM,Chavan warned them he would withdraw the security cover to Uddhav and other senior party leaders.
Reacting swiftly, Thackeray had announced that he would return the security provided to him.
"Let them provide all the security to Kasab," he had remarked sarcastically, referring to the sole terrorist in the 26/11 attack captured alive and currently lodged in the high-security Arthur Road central jail.He (kasab) is much secure now as compare to any indian.Till now 44 cr has been spend on his protection...for what? why is he still alive ? its indian people tax money which is used to protect this pakistani terrorist".
Senior Shiv Sena leader Subhash Desai said all our party legislators would also return the security provided to them.
MLAs give up cover
10 Feb-
Angry Shiv Sena legislators also said that, along with Uddhav, they would give up their security. Vinayak Raut, a Sena MLA said, "We do not require any protection. All Sena MPs and MLAs will give up their security cover today." He along with Abhijeet Phanse and other senior leaders had a meeting with Uddhav till 1 am today.
Incidentally, the government withdrew security of half a dozen Sena leaders yesterday.
After talks with his seniors, Uddhav asked sainiks protesting outside Matoshree to calm down. "Please be calm. Dont be so Aggressive,I will tell you what action needs to be taken when needed," said Uddhav.
Resolve Sena-SRK row by mutual understanding: Chavan
10 Feb,MUMBAI: After threatening to withdraw Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray's security, Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan today said the Sena- Shah Rukh Khan controversy should be resolved by "mutual understanding".
Talking to reporters here, Chavan said "The row should be resolved by mutual understanding."
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