Anti-Bush demonstration a wake-up call, warns Thackeray

Mumbai, Mar 8: Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackerey has 'warned' that the anti-Bush demonstration at Azad Maidan in South Mumbai last week should be seen as a wake-up call for 'Hindus'.

Mr Thackeray, in a front page report in party mouthpiece 'Saamna', has said the last week rally was in fact a show of strength in the name of protesting the India visit of US President George W Bush.

Mr Thackeray's son and party's Executive President Uddhav had first raised this issue in his Raigad meeting two days ago.

The senior Thackerey has warned that it was kind of 'Islam is in danger' politics and because of this the Hindu society and the country would face a dangerous situation.

Questioning the motive of the rally, Mr Thackerey said publication of controversial cartoons of Mohammed Prophet in Danish papers had nothing to do with the United States. Also, at the same time, Denmark Prime Minister was in India, so what was the need for protesting against Mr Bush in Mumbai.

According to Mr Thackerey, the anti-Bush protests, painting him anti-Iraq, anti-Islamic were nothing but a show of strength.

A day after Sena rebel-turned-Congressman Narayan Rane charged Uddhav with keeping Thackeray under 'house arrest', Shiv Sena superemo Thackeray attacked the State government and the police for being mute spectators when protestors allegedly pelted stones at buses and attacked office of a leading English Daily.

Mr Thackeray also did not spare the media and said that it never missed an opportunity to criticise his party, but kept mum on the issue.

UNI