On Sunday when MNS chief Raj Thackeray took out a massive pro-CAA-NRC morcha in the metropolis, Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray took a pot shot at his cousin, saying, “ I don’t have to prove my Hindutva to anyone, because it is pure. I have not changed the colour of my party flag any time. It will remain saffron till my death”.
Taking a veiled dig at Raj for changing his party flag from the earlier Blue, white, orange and green from its flag to all round saffron, Uddhav said: “Some people are saying that since the Shiv Sena has joined hands with the NCP and Congress to form a government in the state, I have given up Hindutva. But, the fact remains that we will neither give up Hindutva nor forsake saffron flag till I am alive”.
Addressing party workers at a workshop organised at the state-run Sahydri Guest House at Malbar Hill to brief them about the salient features of CAA and NRC, Uddhav said: “I do not have to prove my Hindutva. Because, it is Bal Thackeray’s Hindutva and it is pure. I have never changed party flag. People know our party flag and they know all about our Hindutva”.
It may be recalled at a party convention held on January 23, Raj had unveiled his new party flag which has now foregone its earlier Blue, saffron and green from its flag to all round saffron with an administrative seal on it that was used by Legendary warrior King Shivaji.
The apparent intention behind Raj changing his party’s earlier flag, colour of which represented Dalit community, Hindutva ad Musilm community, was to occupy the position of Shiv Sena, which always used saffron as its colour, in the wake of the Sena joining hands with the NCP and Congress to forma Government in theState.
Meanwhile, talking to media persons after the workshop, senior Sena minister Eknath Shinde sought to underplay the morcha taken out by the MNS. “We have been advocating the need for throwing out illegal Bangladeshis and Pakistanis from the time of late Sena chief Bal Thackeray. Some other people are doing that now. I have nothing to say anything about it”