Didn't see Pawar-Raj interview, says Uddhav Thackeray

Mumbai: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray mocked Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar’s interview with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray by saying he did not even watch it clandestinely. Mr Uddhav even questioned Mr Pawar’s praise for late Sena supremo Bal Thackeray.

A day after the interview of Mr Pawar, Sena chief said a few would take 50 years to understand Bal Thackeray. Claiming credit for the idea of reservation for economically backward was first mooted by Bal Thackeray, Mr Uddhav said it was opposed then. “No decision by Balasaheb went wrong. He was the first to demand reservation on financial grounds. But then a few did not agree with him. If his views were agreed then, the clashes between the castes would not have arrived,” he said.

Mr Pawar and Mr Raj had praised Bal Thackeray during the interview. Reacting on it, Mr Uddhav said “Where was the affection for when the latter he was arrested by the Congress government?” When asked if he had seen the interview, the Sena chief refused and said, “I did not see it even clandestinely.”

NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday told  Raj Thackeray that there should be no cast based reservations. Only economically backward sections should get benefits of reservations.  In an experiment of sorts, the NCP leader spoke to a jam-packed audience at Pune’s BMCC ground.