‘Saamana cartoon is not official stand’

Congress Party activists on Wednesday shout slogans and burn cartoons published Saamana during a protest against a cartoon published in the paper that they alleged was against the Maratha community. (Photo: Deepak Kurkunde)

In a desperate attempt to save its face, Shiv Sena leaders on Wednesday were seen giving clarifications over the controversial cartoon that appeared in its mouthpiece Saamana a couple of days ago. Three of its leaders — MP Prataprao Jadhav and MLAs Shashikant Khedekar and Sanjay Raimulkar — who had reportedly resigned after the eruption of the controversy, met party chief Uddhav Thackeray at his residence. However, there was no official confirmation about their resignations.

“There is no displeasure now. Shiv Sena has always supported the Maratha agitation and an apology has been rendered in Saamana today. The Maratha community is also no longer upset with Sena. The opposition is responsible for the controversy,” said Mr Jadhav.

According to party sources, the three leaders had sent their resignations to Mr Thackeray on Tuesday evening, following which the latter had called asked them to meet him on Wednesday morning.

Putting the blame on the opposition for the controversy, industries minister and senior Sena leader Subhash Desai said, “The Saamana cartoon is not our official stand. Sena from the beginning had supported the Maratha protest. The cartoonist has rendered his apology now and so the controversy ends. We are in favour of giving reservation to the Maratha community. Prataprao Jadhav, Shashikant Khedekar, Sanjay Raimulkar discussed things with Uddhavji. They had not resigned.”

Sena leader and MSRDC minister Eknath Shinde said that the news of the three leaders resigning was a rumour.

“Sena’s MPs participated in the protest on the insistence of Uddhavji Thackeray. Sena is with the community and Uddhavji had also demanded a special session of the legislature to discuss the demands by the Maratha community. I request the community not to believe in any rumour against Sena,” Mr Shinde said.

Meanwhile, a number of cases were registered against Saamana in police stations across the state. In informal chats, Sena leaders admitted that the cartoon that led to a huge controversy should not have been published.

Criticising Mr Thackeray for not apologising on the issue, leader of opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said, “Uddhav Thackeray was not generous enough to allow his father and late Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray’s memorial in his house Matoshree. It is wrong to expect an apology from him. Saamana is Sena’s mouthpiece and the Maratha community and women were expecting an apology from him.”