MNS puts poster in opposite Matoshree, daring Uddhav Thackeray to act against illegal Bangladeshi and Pakistani people in Bandra
Mumbai: In an attempt at bearding the lion in its own den, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has put up a provocative poster in front of Matoshree in Bandra East, (the official residence of party president and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray) teasing him into showing his governments mettle in ‘cleansing’ the surrounding localities around of illegal immigrants. This comes just days ahead of its much hyped rally on February 9 against illegal Bangladeshi and Pakistani Muslims in Mumbai.
It may be recalled that MNS chief Raj Thackeray while unveiling his party’s new flag at party convention held in Goregaon on January 23, had announced to launch a movement against Bangladeshi and Pakistani Muslims who are illegally staying in Mumbai. He had also announced to take out a massive rally in the city to press for the demand, on February 9. As the preparations for the rally are in final stages, the party in has decided to go on the offensive and create as much hype as possible over it.
Trying to gain an upper hand over its arch rival the Shiv Sena, MNS has put up a poster right opposite Matoshree, in Bandra East. Past master at slyly putting up posters in the city Akhil Chitre, vice president MNS Students Wing has taken on none other than CM Uddhav Thackeray this time. Given the ambivalent stand of the Shiv Sena on Pakistan and Bangladeshi Muslim after sharing power with its Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies – the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the poster is bound to hurt the Sena and its leaders, where it hurts the most.
The poster dares the Chief Minister to ‘cleanse’ the localities full of illegal immigrants in his own backyard in Bandra. The poster put up in the dead of the night of February 6 and 7 has since then become the talk of the town in no time. Shiv Sena has already been pushed on the back foot after the MNS announced the rally demanding deportation of all illegal Bangladeshi and Pakistani Muslims.
Uddhav Thackeray has continued to maintain a vacillating stand on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). After having backed the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) in the Lok Sabha, the Sena under pressure from the Congress, did a U turn in the Rajya Sabha. In the recent interview to party mouthpiece Saamana, Thackeray once again sent confusing signals arguing that while there was some confusion over CAA and that it was not meant to throw people out of the country, he opposed implementation of the NRC.
The poster opposite Matoshree, on the backdrop of the rally on February 9 is bound to fuel a fresh controversy and unrest among Shiv Sena leaders and cadre. Repeated efforts to contact Shiv Sena and MNS leaders proved futile.
