Thackeray had also supported the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi in 1975 when most of the other parties were vehemently protesting against it.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has slammed the BJP over its stance on the Waqf Amendment Bill, accusing the party of a "fraudulent" approach and of trying to take away land for its industrialist friends. He also dared the BJP to remove the green color from its party flag if it disliked Muslims. Thackeray's comments come after the bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
Sena sources said that the 82-year-old has been admitted to the Lilavati hospital for a routine check up and there is no cause for concern.
For the first time in 20 years, estranged cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray will share the stage on July 5 at a joint 'victory' rally organised by the Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena to celebrate the rollback of the contentious government resolutions (GRs) on three-language policy.
The airport, coming up in neighbouring Navi Mumbai, is expected to relieve the pressure on the Mumbai international airport. Some local politicians had demanded that the new airport be named for farmer leader late D B Patil. Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde, who made the announcement, said the chief minister has assured the DB Patil Action Samiti, which is raising this demand, that some other project will be named after the farmer leader.
The ashes of late Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray were on Friday immersed in the Arabian Sea by his son and party executive president Uddhav Thackeray.
Speculations about a rapprochement between Uddhav Thackeray and his estranged cousin Raj Thackeray are gathering steam, but leaders of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) acknowledge that personal ties and organisational synergy are significant hurdles that need to be overcome. While both parties have expressed a willingness to put aside "trivial issues" and unite, the prospect of a reunion is complex, involving family dynamics, ideological differences, and the potential for internal conflicts. The reunion buzz has come at a time when both parties are experiencing a political nadir, with the Sena (UBT) winning 20 seats and the MNS drawing a blank in the 2024 assembly polls. The prospect of the two cousins coming together has enthused supporters of both parties, but it might not be the case with a section of cadres and party leaders. Key concerns include seat-sharing agreements, potential conflicts in areas with strong bases for both parties, and ideological differences.
Shinde said Patil told him that he did not mean to disrespect the late Sena supremo.
Fadnavis said, "The 2024 assembly polls results have shown who is a gaddar (traitor) and who is a khuddar (self-respecting). People have put a stamp of approval on Shinde being the true inheritor of (Shiv Sena founder) Bal Thackeray's legacy."
'Bal Thackeray may have loved Hitler, but I don't think he was one. The fact is, if you put a city like Mumbai, and its numerically dominant single largest group, in chains, intended or not, democracy itself is called into question,' says Sonali Ranade.
A white shawl draped on his left shoulder, rudraksha beads around his neck, red tilak on the forehead and sporting dark sunglasses, Kantilal Mishra bore a striking similarity to Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray who had mesmerised lakhs of Shiv Sainiks.
His chamber had a large photograph of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray and a picture of Shinde's mentor Anand Dighe next to it.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Monday met uncle and Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray at the latter's residence Matoshree in suburban Bandra, Mumbai.
Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of trying to scuttle the possibility of his party's alliance with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena led by his estranged cousin Raj Thackeray ahead of civic polls.
Chavan, however, made it clear that if the NCP merger happens and if that party goes with the National Democratic Alliance, it would become difficult for the Congress to continue the alliance with them in Maharashtra.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray alleges the state government's three-language formula is a precursor to separating Mumbai from Maharashtra, speaking at a rally with Uddhav Thackeray.
Bal Thackeray's daughter-in-law Smita Thackarey is reportedly upset with the Shiv sena and has indicated her willingness to join the Congress. "She is not involved in the power struggle. She wants to move forward in politics. She has not left the Shiv sena, but her options are open," her son Rahul said.He was replying to questions on media reports that Smita, estranged wife of Bal Thackeray's son Jaydev, was all set to join the Congress.
With the Centre pressing the Maharashtra government to take immediate steps against those indulging in violence, the Mumbai police appealed to Raj to restrain the cadre of his party -- Maharashtra Navnirman Sena -- from further fuelling the campaign against north Indians.
Thackeray celebrated his 82nd birthday with family members and party workers at his residence in suburban Bandra in Mumbai.
Party chief Uddhav Thackeray, Yuva Sena leader Aditya Thackeray and former CM Manohar Joshi, among others, paid tributes.
Noted Bhojpuri singer and Bollywood actor Manoj Tiwari on Monday said that he would prefer to sacrifice his life to safeguard the interests of Biharis and North Indians living in Mumbai than yielding to pressure of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray.
BJP leaders in Maharashtra criticized Uddhav and Raj Thackeray's joint rally in Mumbai, calling it a desperate attempt to revive their political fortunes ahead of civic polls. They accused the Thackerays of using the Marathi language issue as a guise to regain power and criticized their past actions.
The final journey of Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, from his residence Matoshree in Bandra to the cremation ground at Shivaji Park in central Mumbai, was an event the city will not forget anytime soon.
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, who is ailing for sometime, is on continuous oxygen and not eating anything.
'Like me there are crores of Marathi people in the state hoping for this miracle to work.'
The final journey of Shiv Sena patriarch Bal Thackeray began with his body being taken out for funeral procession from his residence in suburban Bandra on Sunday morning amid presence of thousands of grief-stricken Shiv Sainiks, who have come from across Maharashtra.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray on Thursday met his uncle and Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, who is not keeping good health.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde displayed irritation when a reporter sought his reaction on the speculation of reconciliation between estranged cousins Uddhav and Raj Thackeray. The speculation of reconciliation between the two Thackeray cousins, Uddhav and Raj, has been fueled by recent statements from both leaders suggesting they could put aside past differences and work together for the benefit of Maharashtra. The question of whether this reconciliation will translate into a political alliance remains to be seen, but the possibility has generated significant buzz in the state's political landscape.
Supporters of late Shiv Sena Supremo Bal Thackeray turned up in large numbers early Sunday morning to pay their last tributes to the leader.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat met Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray at the latter's residence in suburban Bandra on Thursday.
Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad slammed Siv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray for criticising Sachin Tendulkar for his 'Mumbai for all' remark, saying the Shiv Sena supremo had no moral authority to comment on a national hero.
I challenge the thief to come out on the field with a bow and arrow and we will counter it with a flaming torch, Thackeray said.
Photographer Gopal Shetty sent us these exclusive vintage photographs of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, which we reproduce along with quotes from the leader who passed into the ages on Saturday.
Savera Someshwar captures the mood in Mumbai as lakhs and lakhs of supporters of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray poured on to the streets to bid adieu to their leader.
"Like I have grown old, you have also not got younger. The hair on your bald pate will not come back and your suffocation within NCP won't stop," Thackeray said in an editorial in Sena mouthpiece Saamana.
The SC has kept in abeyance the disqualification proceedings before the Deputy Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly till July 12
Jahangir, chairperson of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, is preparing a report for the United Nations on violence relating to religion for which she is meeting various persons.
'If Uddhav bhau and Raj bhau come together, who can stop us?' Prasanna D Zore reports on the fervour and hope set off by the Thackeray cousins coming together.
'Let's see how this love story shapes up in the run up to the municipal corporation election.'
Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray on Monday collected the ashes of his father and Sena supremo Bal Thackeray in two urns at Shivaji Park in Mumbai.