Thackeray tells both minority, majority community to stay united

Mumbai, Sep 10 (UNI) Lambasting Congress president Sonia Gandhi for skipping the recital of Vande Mataram on the occasion of centenary celebration of the national song, Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray today urged people of both - minority and majority - communities to uphold unity and love for country that has come up due to 'Vande Mataram'.

In a statement that appeared in the Sena mouthpiece 'Samana' of which Mr Thackeray is the Editor, he asked, ''I wonder how Sonia Gandhi could visit Malegaon after the blasts when she cited ill health and skipped recital of Vande Mataram's centenary celebrations?'' He further said representatives of majority community could never get involved in bomb blasts and told the minority community that terrorists never differentiate between minority and majority communities.

''Vande Mataram has helped to reduce tension between both the communities but several terrorists have tried to divide this unity,'' Mr Thackeray added.

UNI JM KU PA BD1532