Thackeray alleges moves to undermine Mumbai’s importance, urges SC to act

In a veiled swipe at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday, 13 August, alleged that concerted efforts were under way to erode the significance of Mumbai and Maharashtra.

Speaking at the 65th foundation day of Marmik — the magazine founded in 1966 by his father, Bal Thackeray, and uncle, Shrikant Thackeray — the former chief minister warned against attempts to marginalise the “Marathi manoos” and alter the city’s character.

“Before the undivided Shiv Sena was formed, the Marathi manoos was treated as an outsider. Efforts are being made to recreate those circumstances — whether through the imposition of Hindi or by diminishing the importance of Mumbai and Maharashtra. These attempts have not stopped,” he said.

Thackeray vowed that the work of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Marmik would continue “until those who indulge in such efforts are defeated.”

He also accused political rivals of creating distractions through trivial controversies — citing debates over feeding pigeons and a recent Supreme Court directive on stray dogs — to divert public attention from pressing issues.

The directive in question, issued on 11 August by Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, called for all strays in Delhi-NCR to be permanently relocated to shelters “at the earliest”. Following public backlash, Chief Justice of India Bhushan Gavai said he would “look into” the matter when approached by petitioners in another case concerning stray dogs.

Thackeray welcomed the CJI’s response, but also pressed the apex court to expedite his party’s plea challenging Maharashtra Assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar’s decision to award the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol to the rival Shiv Sena faction.

“It has been three or four years, and one will never know when democracy will die. If justice is not delivered, democracy will die. So whatever bench it is, please look into it — this is my request with folded hands,” Thackeray said.

In July, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi had observed that the matter had been pending for too long and that uncertainty could not be allowed to continue.

With PTI inputs