Shiv Sena shuns lungi hatao' tirade

Mumbai: The initial rise of Shiv Sena as a regional party is attributed to its anti-south Indian campaign, which was initiated by party supremo Bal Thackeray. However, the members of Shiv Sena, a party which had pursued the agenda of ‘lungi hatao pungibajao ’, will felicitate Tamilians.

Two of its MPs, the mayor and a party member, will felicitate Tamilians on Sunday. Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale, however, has claimed that his party has always been pro-Tamil.

The programme is scheduled to be held on Sunday at Shanmukhanamd Hall, in which the local Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale and Rajyasabha MP Sanjay Raut will participate.

Former Lok Sabha speaker Manohar Joshi, senior Shiv Sena leader Leeladhar Dake, MLA Sada Sarvankar and newly elected Mumbai mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar will also attend the event.

The programme is held to felicitate around six Tamil corporators of the Shiv Sena. According to Mr Shewale, half a dozen Tamil corporators have been elected on Sena’s ticket, and last time the party had just one Tamil corporator in the city.

When asked about this sudden change of heart, Mr Shewale said, “Shiv Sena has always been pro-Tamilians, whenever Tamilians need anything they approach Sena and we have helped them. Even during the LTTE war, the Shiv Sena had supported Tamils.”

Mr Shewale represents South Central Mumbai in the Lok Sabha, including Dharavi, which has the maximum population of Tamilians.

The Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) had also given a ticket to Captain Tamil Selvam during the last assembly election, and for the civic body elections, it had given ticket to his brother.  In early ’60s the Shiv Sena started its agitation against the South Indians, claiming that they were holding all tops jobs and were promoting people from their own community.  It also accused the Tamilians of sidelining the son of the soil.