Having not taken kindly to the “Modi, Modi” slogans raised by the BJP corporators in his presence at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) two days ago, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray ridiculed the “Modi Bhakths” saying that the Modi supporters were causing “damage” to the Prime Minister by raising slogans in a manner they were doing.
“Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister of our country. We have all along respected him as the Prime Minister. By raising slogans like ‘Modi, Modi’ are causing damage to the reputation of the Prime Minister,” Uddhav stated in an editorial published in the Sena’s official mouth-piece Saamana.
Recalling that the sycophants of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had in the past raised slogans like “Indira is India”, Uddhav said, “late Indira Gandhi’s supporters had insulted India by raising such slogans hailing the then Prime Minister”.
Demanding to know whether “Modi bhakths” will raise slogans like “Modi, Modi” in the strife-torn Jammu & Kashmir, Uddhav had a word of advice for “Modi bhakths” when he stated, “After the soldiers lay down their lives for the country in Kashmir, the people attending their funeral raise slogans like Bharatmata ki jai. Will you shout slogans like “Modi, Modi” in such funeral processionsIJ Don’t insult the Prime Minister so much”.
On Wednesday last when Uddhav and State Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar of the BJP attended the function at the BMC marking the roll-out of GST, the BJP corporators shouted slogans like “Modi, Modi...” Irked by the BJP corporators’ “Modi, Modi...” sloganeering, the Sena corporators retaliated shouting ‘Chor Hai, Chor Hai’.
The BJP’s “Modi, Modi” slogans and Sena’s instant “Chor hai, Chor hai” slogans had nearly marred the function, at which Mungantiwar handed over a compensation cheque for Rs 647.34 crore to the Sena-ruled BMC in lieu of the Octroi scrapped after the introduction of GST in Maharashtra on July 1.
The slogan shouting by the BJP and Sena corporators had continued for quite some. It was only after an embarrassed Mumbai Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar intervened to the corporators of the both the parties that the ruckus ended.