MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray kicked up a row by calling BJP leader K Annamalai "Rasmalai" and questioned his right to speak in matters regarding Maharashtra.
Mocking Annamalai, Thackeray said that, “A few days ago, some "rasmalai" has come from Tamil Nadu to Mumbai and said that Bombay is not a Maharashtra city and there is no connection between Mumbai and Maharashtra. Who is he? And what connection do you have with Mumbai, and why did you come here? That's why Balasaheb said ‘hatao lungi bajao pungi’."
The controversy allegedly started when the former Tamil Nadu BJP chief said, "Bombay is not a city in Maharashtra. It is an international city.” The comment reportedly irked Opposition leaders.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis defending Annamalai said that the remarks have been distorted and blown out of proportion. He said neither Annamalai is from Maharashtra nor a national BJP leader, still so much importance has been given to his statement.
“What Annamalai has said is true that Mumbai is an international city, but he does not mean that Mumbai is not a Maharashtra city. He wanted to say that Mumbai belongs to all people who stay here, and this is true,” the chief minister said.
Further defending his party colleague's remarks, he said that Annamalai’s Hindi is not good, so he used Bombay instead of Mumbai, many times, and "he does so unwittingly".
“We do call Madras as Chennai. But when someone corrected, it was immediately changed. Therefore, no more attention should be given to Annamalai's statement,” Fadnavis said.
Raj Thackeray connected the BJP leader's statement to the larger conspiracy of the BJP’s top leaders who want to sever Mumbai from Maharashtra. Therefore, such a statement by Annamalai has been made to target the Marathi people and Maharashtra, he alleged.
“But we will continue to fight and will not allow it to happen. 106 people sacrificed their lives for Mumbai. So, the martyrs' sacrifices will not go to waste. But people need to be aware and join those dots who are grabbing the majority of the project, and in which region. Therefore, the BMC election is important to have a ‘say’ in decision-making,” the MNS chief asserted.