Send troops into mosques, says Thackeray

Mumbai, Oct 09: Stirring a potential controversy, Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray on Thursday night dared the government to send troops into mosques to tackle what he called "Islamic terrorism".

"Why can't they send troops into mosques", Thackeray thundered while addressing a large gathering of his supporters at his party's traditional Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park in Central Mumbai.

"Islam has engulfed the country and its grip on India is becoming tighter day by day," said the 81-year-old Sena leader, who has been addressing the rally for the last 42 years.

Thackeray recalled that the late former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was a woman of guts.

"She dared to send troops in the Golden temple(in Amritsar)", said Thackeray, who was taken up onto the stage by a lift owing to his frail health.

"Nobody cares for Hindus least of all the Government", said Thackeray , who spoke shortly after his son and Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray delivered his maiden speech at the Dussehra rally, said.

Thackeray made a reference to the tenor of Uddhav's speech and asked the crowd to judge whether his son's speech was aggressive.

He also accused the Congress-led government of appeasing Muslims only for vote bank politics, Thackeray said.

Conceding that age had taken a toll on his health and that he was tired, Thackeray made it clear at the very outset that he had "no new thoughts" to offer to the thousands of Shiv Sainiks gathered at Shivaji Park.

The Sena chief also launched a veiled attack on his estranged nephew Raj Thackeray, whose MNS is espousing the 'Marathi pride'.

"The Shiv Sena was set up for protecting the interests of Marathi people. I have been doing this since you were bed-wetting", Thackeray said without naming Raj.

The Sena chief addressed the rally from a chair as his failing health preventing him from standing comfortably and deliver the speech.

The Sena chief also attacked former Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde for the latter's remarks that promising free houses to slum dwellers was a poll gimmick.

Bureau Report