MUMBAI: After Union Minister Narayan Rane’s visit to late Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray’s memorial in Dadar, irked Shiv Sena workers 'purified' the memorial by giving milk 'abhisheka' and sprinkling gomutra at the memorial.
The newly indicted union minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government kick-started BJP’s 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra' by visiting his old political mentor late Balasaheb Thackeray's memorial. Rane said Balasaheb Thackeray had played a major role in his political career.
"I bowed before Balasaheb Thackeray and told him that saheb you should have been alive today to give me a blessing," Rane later told reporters.
However, Shiv Sena Lok Sabha MP Vinayak Raut criticised the visit of Narayan Rane to the Balasaheb Thackeray memorial. He said that Narayan is a traitor.
"Rane cheated Shiv Sena. He made his career by using Sena and when Sena needed him, he left Sena. He is a selfish person. Balasaheb Thackeray criticised his greedy and selfish nature. Therefore, we protested against his visit. He has no right to visit Balasaheb Thackeray memorial at all," Raut said.
Appa Patil, Shiv Sena worker who purified Balasaheb Thackeray memorial said that he starts his day visiting and doing pooja at Thackeray memorial. Therefore, he does not want to visit 'unpurified' memorial after Narayan Rane's visit.
He further added Narayan had no moral right to visit Balasaheb Thackeray memorial. Shiv Sena had opposed the visit of Narayan Rane to Thackeray memorial.
Reacting to Shiv Sena worker's decision to purify the memorial, BJP leaders said "the time has come to purify the Shiv Sena."
"Does Shiv Sena have any moral high ground to do the purification of late Bal Thackeray memorial? They joined hands with Congress for power. NCP leader Chahagan Bhujbal put Balasaheb Thackeray in jail, with whom Sena is enjoying the power, it shows Sena’s morality. Therefore, Sena’s purification has to be done so that they will get some sense," Shelar slammed.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition, Legislative Council and BJP MLC Pravin Darekar said that Balasaheb Thackeray memorial is not the private property of anyone that they will stop visiting it.
"Everyone loved and revered Balasaheb Thackeray. There should not be any objection over visiting his memorial," Darekar said.