Thanks but no thanks: Shiv Sena to Raj Thackeray

Mumbai, Sep 30: On Tuesday, Sep 30 Shiv Sena termed Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray' statement over Parliamentary Privilege Committee's reported summons to Bal Thackeray as a 'cheap publicity stunt.'

In a front-page news item in the party's mouthpiece 'Saamna', the Shiv Sena has sought to clarify that Mr Thackeray was yet to receive any notice from the committee. Still, MNS has issued the statement in a hurry only to gain some cheap publicity, it said. Shiv Sena supremo had already sent his reply in writing to the Committee, and the news about the Committee summoning Mr Thackeray was surprising.

Mr Thackeray had recieved many such notices in the past and had faced court cases, it was claimed. The MNS chief on Monday, Sep 29 warned that if Senior Thackeray was summoned by the committee, no official or people's representative from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar would be allowed to enter the state.

Raj had stated that he was against the move since Bal Thackeray was a senior leader, even though from a different political outfit.

The summons was an insult to the Sena chief, who is aged and not keeping well, the estranged nephew had remarked.

The committee, headed by senior Congress MP V Kishore Chandra Deo, in August recorded evidence of members who had raised a breach of privilege against the Shiv Sena chief.

In his editorial, Bal Thackeray had criticised MPs from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for allegedly launching an anti-Marathi tirade in Parliament.

UNI