There is no Marathi unity, rues Thackeray again

Former Union Finance Minister C D Deshmukh was the only Marathi leader in New Delhi with self-respect, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has said.

C D Deshmukh, who quit his post to register his protest against the idea of not letting Mumbai be a part of a separate Marathi-speaking state of Maharashtra, was the only Marathi (leader) in Delhi to show self-respect and all others turned out to be cowards, Thackeray said.

"The battle for Mumbai was won because of the unity of Marathi people. That unity is not seen today," Thackeray said in an interview published in Sena mouthpiece Saamna today.

"If people like Ambani can come to Mumbai and set up industry, why are our people lagging behind?" Thackeray said.

People like Lata Mangeshkar, Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar have given a lot for the people, Thackeray said.

"Such people are not there in politics," he added.