A day after battling it out on the streets of Mumbai, Shiv Sena and its breakaway group Maharashtra Navnirman Sena on Wedmesday began the blame game accusing each other of starting the violent clashes.
Shiv Sena Executive President Uddhav Thackeray charged MNS led by Raj Thakeracy with inciting the clash, saying the newly-formed party was doing so because it had run out of other issues.
"We know what they (MNS) are doing. They do not have any more real issues to take to the people and that is why they are resorting to such acts," Uddhav told reporters at the party office Sena Bhawan in Mumbai.
MNS President Raj Thackeray said: "We did not start the violence. We retaliated. It is very obvious who started it. What can I tell my workers? They (Sena) are the ones who started it."
"Shiv Sena was using late (wife of Sena supremo Bal Thakceray)
Asked if there would be any talks between the two parties, Raj said: "It was not our mistake. Why should we talk?"
Uddhav for his part said if Sena activists are attacked they would not keep quiet. However, both agreed that Marathis should not fight among themselves.
Meanwhile, leaders of both parties, including a legislator, were among 13 people arrested on Wednesday in connection with Tuesday's violence.
Local Sena legislator Sada Sarvankar, party leaders Milind Vaidya and Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena president (Sena's student wing) Abhijit Panse were arrested for the clashes in Central Mumbai, Additional Commissioner of Police (Central Region) Rajnish Seth told PTI.
Confidantes of MNS chief Raj Thackeray, Yashwant Killedar and Vinod Khopkar, were also among the arrested, he added.
