Members of rival Shiv Sena factions confront each other, raise slogans in Thane
Activists of the Shiv Sena and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) came face to face and shouted slogans ahead of a rally in Maharashtra`s Thane city on Sunday evening amid heavy police deployment, reported news agency PTI.
The confrontation took place near Anand Ashram, where the Shiv Sena (UBT) had organised a rally in preparation for the upcoming civic elections.
Senior Sena (UBT) leaders Vinayak Raut, Sanjay Raut, and Chandrakant Khaire arrived in Thane to pay their respects to late Shiv Sena leader Anand Dighe. As they gathered at Dighe`s bust outside Anand Ashram, members of the rival factions, including women, confronted each other, leading to a heated exchange of slogans, reported PTI.
Tensions escalated further when the Sena (UBT) leaders proceeded to Dighe`s memorial, Shakti Sthal.
To prevent any untoward incidents, police deployed heavy security and ensured the situation did not spiral out of control, PTI reported.
Speaking to the media, Sena (UBT) leader Khaire downplayed the incident, while former Shiv Sena women`s wing leader Meenakshi Shinde criticised the rival faction leaders.
“They [Sena UBT leaders] have no right to visit Dighe`s bust or memorial. Women activists drove them away and later purified the place,” Shinde said.
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament (MP) Naresh Mhaske termed the Sena (UBT) leaders` visit a mere “show” with no real significance.
Sanjay Raut slams Eknath Shinde for questioning Uddhav over skipping Maha Kumbh
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday hit out at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister (CM) Eknath Shinde for raising questions over Uddhav Thackeray not attending the recently concluded Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj.
Talking to reporters, Raut also criticised Shinde`s political acumen and said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) should train the deputy CM on how to ask questions.
Because of Shinde`s blunders, the BJP and its leaders are getting “exposed”, the Rajya Sabha member claimed.
Shinde`s Shiv Sena is a constituent of the BJP-led ruling Mahayuti in the state. The Maha Kumbh was held at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh from January 13 to Wednesday, February 26.
On Shinde targeting Sena (UBT) chief and former CM Uddhav Thackeray for not attending the Maha Kumbh, Raut said, “Shinde should ask this question first to RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) chief Mohan Bhagwat. If Bhagwat, as a Hindu, has not visited the Kumbh to take a dip, why target Uddhav Thackeray?”
Raut further said he had never seen pictures of RSS founder Dr KB Hedgewar or previous Sangh chiefs such as MS Golwalkar, Balasaheb Deoras, Rajju Bhaiyya, and K Sudarshan attending any Kumbh in the country. Even Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar never visited the Kumbh fair, he added.
(With PTI inputs)
