Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has attacked industrialist Mukesh Ambani over his recent statement that Mumbai belongs to all Indians.
“Marathi people have as much right over Mumbai as Mukesh Ambani has over Reliance companies,” Mr. Thackeray said in an article published in Sena mouthpiece ‘Saamana.’
“Mumbai is Maharashtra’s capital and will remain its capital. Don’t meddle in the path of Mumbai and Marathi manoos,” he said.
Mr. Thackeray said, “when ‘Pandit Mukesh Ambani’ says Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi belong to all Indians, why has he left out cities likes Ahmedabad, Jamnagar and Rajkot“.
Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani had recently said the controversy over making knowledge of Marathi mandatory for issuing taxi permits in Mumbai was ‘unfortunate’ and the metropolis belongs to all Indians.
“We are all Indians first. Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi belong to all Indians. That is the reality,” he had said during a panel discussion at the London School of Economics.
In November, the Sena chief had asked cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar not to “dabble” in politics.
