Upping the ante in the "Mumbai for all" row, Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray on Thursday ordered party cadres to greet Rahul Gandhi with black flags to mark their protests when he visits Mumbai tomorrow after the unfazed Congress leader stuck to his schedule.
Gearing up for the Congress leader's visit, authorities have tightened security at venues during his interactions with youths and slum dwellers even as Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan warned of strict action if anyone takes law into their hands. Bal Thackeray has asked Sena workers to show black flags to Rahul during his visit to the city, senior party leader Sanjay Raut told PTI.
Reacting with disdain, Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said in New Delhi that Congress and Rahul are not bothered about Shiv Sena's rhetoric and their black flag protests.
Apparently setting the stage for a tough political war on the issue of North Indian migrants through the black flag protests, Bal Thackeray's directive came amid esclating war of words between Shiv Sena and Rahul who has taken that party head on with his remark that Mumbai is for all Indians and that all people have a right to go anywhere.
Against the backdrop of the personal and vicious attack by Shiv Sena leaders against Rahul and Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, who has also earned the ire of the party, Maharashtra Government has sought legal opinion on all controversial statements reported in the media in the last 15 days.
"We have asked the Law and Judiciary Department to check all the controversial visuals, statements that were reported in the media in last 15 days," Home Minister R R Patil said.
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Thursday issued a diktat to his partymen to welcome Rahul Gandhi with black flags to protest his 'Mumbai for all Indians' remark but undeterred by the verbal assault the Congress leader will go ahead with his visit to the Mumbai on Friday .
"The Italian prince is on a visit to Mumbai tomorrow. Welcome him with black flags," the ailing Sena patriarch commanded his partymen through a statement. In an apparent attempt to present itself in the aggressive mould that was once its hallmark, the Sena chief and his heir Uddhav, the party's executive president, have let loose a verbal volley at Rahul for his recent remarks that Mumbai belonged to all Indians.
"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 away Biharis. If terrorists have to be fought, let Biharis remain in Mumbai," the Congress general secretary had recently said in Bihar ticking off the Sena over its 'Mumbai for Marathis' stand. Uddhav saw a conspiracy in the 'Mumbai for all' debate to separate the metropolis from Maharashtra. "Why is there a sudden controversy over Mumbai when nothing has happened here? It is a conspiracy to separate the city from Maharashtra and we will never let it happen," he told reporters yesterday.
"Nobody should think that Shiv Sena has softened its stand on Mumbai. We would take to the streets to save Mumbai and keep Maharashtra united," said Uddhav, under whose stewardship the party ceded significant political space to estranged cousin Raj Thakeray's MNS.
He questioned the timing of Rahul's visit, saying "What is the need for this visit now. There may be elections in Bihar, but we will not tolerate anything spoken against Mumbai and Marathi pride." Uddhav was apparently suggesting that Rahul's remarks were made with an eye on Bihar assembly polls due later this year. Bal Thackeray too got ballistic and personal while targeting the Congress leader whom he described as "totally frustrated".
The Shiv Sena patriarch raked up the question of Congress president Sonia Gandhi's foreign origin, saying "Mumbai may belong to all Indians but how can it belong to an Italian mummy." However, unfazed by the verbal onslaught, Rahul will arrive here tomorrow on a brief visit to interact with students and slum youth as part of the membership drive launched by the Mumbai Youth Congress.
Chief Minister Ashok Chavan has sought to allay apprehensions over Rahul's security. "The Congress leader has SPG cover and the state police machinery will also be in place during his visit." Chavan slammed Uddhav and Raj Thackeray for "touching a new low" in politics with their utterances against Rahul.
"Nowhere in Indian politics, such a low level of personal allegations is seen. I condemn their utterances," he told journalists in Pune, while dubbing their posturings as part of the "political agenda" by the Shiv Sena and MNS bracing up for Mumbai civic elections. PTI
