Keep off Mumbai politics: Sena

“We do not need lessons from the RSS. It will be in their interest not to rake up the issue. Our stand on this is not new. Mumbai belongs to Marathis,” Uddhav said at a news conference here.

Curiously, while the violent campaign against North Indians was orchestrated by Uddhav’s arch rival and estranged cousin Raj Thackeray and his Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, it was Uddhav who took the initiative in blasting the RSS on the issue. Raj himself has maintained silence on the RSS statement so far.

The Sena leader said that the RSS must clarify its stand on the alleged directive said to be issued by the organisation as stated by its spokesperson Ram Madhav.

“It should come clear whether it is the RSS’ official position or the personal view of Ram Madhav. Ram Madhav is not the sole voice of the RSS,” Uddhav said.

Uddhav even asked the RSS that instead of criticising Sena over its North Indian policy, “it would be better if the RSS concentrates on the plight of North Indians in Assam or it could go to the South India and teach Hindi to the people there.”

Uddhav also asked where was the organisation when the Marathi-speaking people in the Maharashtra-Karnataka boundary areas were subjected to alleged coercive practices by the Karnataka government.

However, to a pointed question, Uddhav said the latest row would not affect the Sena’s relations with the BJP in any manner.

On his part, BJP deputy leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Gopinath Munde too played down the controversy and said both the BJP and the Sena had different views on many things but their relations have always been cordial.

When asked about his views on RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s statement that Mumbai belongs to all, Munde said there was nothing wrong in the statement and all that Bhagwat was emphasising that the people from other states should not be harassed in Mumbai.

Meanwhile, the state government has increased the security around Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s bunglow “Mannat” at Band Stand in Bandra suburb.