Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday backed Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat’s comment that India is a Hindu nation, saying the remarks were absolutely right.
“I support the comments made by Mohan Bhagwat. What’s wrong with it, if he calls it (India) a Hindu nation,” asked Mr. Thackeray, while speaking to reporters, at his residence Matoshri in Mumbai.
Mr. Thackeray recalled that his father, the late Bal Thackeray, always called India, a Hindu nation. “How can we change party’s stand today? He always maintained this stand,” he said.
The Sena leader also claimed that he doesn’t need permission from anyone to call India, a Hindu nation. “No one should feel ashamed to call this country a Hindu nation,” he said.
At a programme in Mumbai, Mr. Bhagwat had >said that India is a Hindu nation and Hindutva is its identity .
“Hindustan is a Hindu nation… Hindutva is the identity of India and it has the capacity to swallow other identities,” he had said.
Slamming Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan for remarks against scrapping planning commission, Mr. Thackeray asked him to clarify as to what purpose did the commission served over the years.
“He (Mr. Chavan) is unhappy over the decision to scrap the planning commission. But will he be able to tell what purpose it served for the country over the years?” he asked, while supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his announcement on planning commission.
Earlier, several leaders from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) joined the Sena in the presence of Mr. Thackeray. Nephew of Vijaysingh Mohit-Patil, a current NCP MP from Madha, Dhawalsingh Mohite Patil and Congress leader Ashok Chavan’s arch-rival Prataprao Chikhlikar also from the NCP, are among the few who joined the Sena on Tuesday.
