Estranged cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray will unite for the cause of the Marathi language, as their parties will stage a joint protest against the 'imposition' Hindi and the state government's three-language formula for Classes 1-5.
A day after nephew and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray backed cartoonist Aseem Trivedi who was arrested on charges of sedition, Shiv Sena patriarch Bal Thackeray on Wednesday came out in his support and opposed the sedition law.
An article, published in Saturday's edition of Sena's mouthpiece Saamna, which is edited by Thackeray, accuses Bachchan of not doing enough for Maharashtra. The article cites the example of Tamil superstar Rajnikanth, who participated in the protest by Tamil Nadu against Karnataka over the Hoggenakal issue, even though he hails from Karnataka. The article goes on to suggest scathingly that Bachchan should take a leaf out of Rajnikanth's book.
Taking potshots at estranged cousin and Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray's penchant for photography, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Monday said the former should concentrate on shooting the many potholes that dot the city. "Instead of shooting animals in other states, it would be better if one (read Uddhav) photographs potholes here. Then they would realise the shoddy state of affairs, all their doing," said Thackeray.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections were marred by widespread complaints of voter list discrepancies, missing names, and confusion, impacting voters and election staff alike.
Transcending ideological barriers, political parties in Bihar on Friday slammed Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray for his reported statement that influx of North Indians was one of the reasons for growing terror attacks in Mumbai.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday held a meeting of his party leaders from Mumbai, Thane, Nashik and other divisions regarding his visit to Ayodhya in June.
Raising slogans against MNS chief Raj Thackeray, the activists of the Rashtravadi Shiv Sena came to the Maharashtra Sadan and damaged its reception counter. The activists said they were protesting against the attacks on north Indians by MNS activists in Maharashtra.
"No programme like UP Day, which shows north Indians' poltical goondaism will be allowed to take place here (Mumbai). We will first request them with folded hands. If that does not work, we will face them with open hands," Thackeray said in an interview to Marathi weekly Lokprabha.
Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday said whatever the people of Maharashtra wish will happen, comments coming amid intense speculation over possibility of an alliance between his party and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena led by his estranged cousin Raj.
The clash between SP and MNS activists in Mumbai took place before the start of the rally at Shivaji Park, where top leaders of UNPA were due to speak.
Breaking the nearly three-decade-old dominance of the undivided Shiv Sena, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday emerged victorious in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, and also vanquished the alliance of Nationalist Congress Party factions led by Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar in the Pune civic body.
The warrant against Thackeray for allegedly making derogatory remarks against members of the Bihari community, was brought to Mumbai by the Jamshedpur police and will be served on the MNS leader later in the week as Thackeray is presently out of the city, he said.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray and Republic Party of India leader have been engaged in a mudslinging exercise after the former publicly questioned the latter's acquisition of property in Bandra.
Taking cognizance of charges against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray for allegedly inciting violence against aspirants from the state for railway jobs in Mumbai, a Bihar court has asked him to appear before it next month to explain his position.
A court has issued a bailable warrant against a Delhi police official for failing to file a status report regarding lodging of an FIR against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray for allegedly branding north Indian Muslims as insurgents and threatening to throw them out of Maharashtra.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Saturday dared Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar to intimidate his party without the help of the state apparatus, saying stones can come from "our side" too in an escalating war of words between the two leaders from Maharashtra.
After actor Amitabh Bachchan vowed not to leave Mumbai in the wake of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena campaign against him, party chief Raj Thackeray on Friday said that he had never asked the actor to leave Maharashtra. Raj's remarks came in the wake of Bachchan's comments three days ago, stating that he was not an outsider in Mumbai and that he would not leave the city.The actor had made the remarks as he was hurt by the campaign that was unleashed by the MNS against him.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray today criticised Asaram Bapu for allegedly wasting water at a pre-Holi celebration event even as the state has been reeling under worst drought.
He said that ruling party MLAs Manda Mhatre (BJP) and Sanjay Gaikwad (Shiv Sena) have also spoken about the duplication of voters and irregularities in the electoral rolls.
Fearing reprisals against Maharashtrians residing in northern states due to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray's recent comments against Biharis, Republican Party of India-Athvale leader Ramdas Athavale on Monday appealed to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to protect Marathis in his state.
Softening his stand against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh said on Sunday that Raj's statement regarding migrants spreading Malaria was not from his heart.
Within a gap of seven hours, two high-profile but diametrically opposite campaigns in this city set the tone for the coming Maharashtra Assembly elections. While Congress President Sonia Gandhi pitched for an inclusive growth with greater emphasis on poorer and backward section, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray's high-decibel slogans catered only for the 'Marathi issue'.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Monday softened his stand against the Nationalist Congress Party and also questioned the rationale of playing IPL cricket matches in the state, when it faces a severe drought.
The state government in October last had moved the court seeking cancellation of bail of Raj granted in February by the Vikhroli metropolitan magistrate following his arrest in October after his supporters went on the rampage at several railway recruitment board job centres.
After warning multiplex owners over screening of Marathi movies, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray has now trained his guns at taxi and auto drivers.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, who forced filmmaker Karan Johar to apologise for calling Mumbai 'Bombay' in his film, has attracted the ire of critics for calling the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus by its former name VT.The bustling terminus, designed by Frederick William Stevens, a consulting architect in 1887-1888, was renamed as Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in 1996, but the abbreviation VT has stuck with most Mumbaiites and Raj proved he is no "At
Police harassed superstar Amitabh Bachchan and favoured people like Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi alleged on Friday. Azmi claimed Bachchan was forced to withdraw a case of attack on his bungalow in Mumbai during the anti-north Indian campaign led by the Raj's party.
Maharashtra Navnirman Seva chief Raj Thackeray on Monday met Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who is observing a 72-hour fast for 'peace and harmony' in the state.
Pressing his party's demand for employment to 'sons of soil', Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray has warned the postmaster general to give priority to locals for the post office jobs or else cancel the recruitment procedure.
'Like me there are crores of Marathi people in the state hoping for this miracle to work.'
Amid violence against Hindi-speaking people, Maharashtra minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ashish Shelar on Sunday drew parallels between the Pahalgam terror attack and the beating of 'Hindus' in Mumbai, which he said is condoned by some leaders.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Monday held the Nehru-Gandhi family "responsible" for the lack of development in Uttar Pradesh.
The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay high court on Wednesday stayed the arrest warrant against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray till January 4, 2010.The Badnapur JMFC court had issued the arrest warrant against Raj in connection to a stone pelting incident at a bus near Hirvi Phata in Badnapur of Jalna district on October 21 in 2008. Justice S S Shinde of the Aurangabad bench passed the order and advocate Sagar Ladda appeared for Raj.
Raj said," If the Prime Minister can rake up the issue of ban on turbans for the Sikhs in France when the French President came to India, if Karunanidhi could take up the issue of problems of Tamils in Malaysia with the Malaysian government, if the Hindi channels in Mumbai spew venom against Maharashtra while supporting the people from UP and Bihar, then how come I am dubbed as a goonda when I speak about the self-respect of the state ?".
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Tuedsay faced more flak across the political spectrum for blaming 'migrants' for malaria outbreak in Mumbai with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar saying the remarks were uncalled for and deplorable.
Impressed by the Tamil Conference held recently, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday lamented that such efforts were not being made in Maharashtra for Marathi language.
"Since Raj is fighting for the Marathi Manoos, we are ready to face any consequence..... but there is tension in the house," Raj's mother-in-law Padma Wagh told PTI. She voiced concern about Raj's son Amit, who is going to appear for his tenth standard examination next month. "I am worried about Amit because of Raj's likely arrest, as he has to appear for SSC exams next month," she said.
If there was no pressure, then how come the decision to sack staff was reverted within 12 hours, asked Raj.
Toughening his stand against migrants, specially north Indians, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Thursday indicated that his party would launch more intense agitation on the issue.
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