Shiv Sena (UBT) demands Bharat Ratna for Bal Thackeray
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Mumbai, Jan 23 (PTI): On the occasion of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray’s 99th birth anniversary, the Shiv Sena (UBT) on Thursday demanded that the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honor, be conferred on the late leader.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, addressing the media, criticized the BJP-led central government for allegedly awarding the Bharat Ratna to individuals he deemed undeserving over the past decade. “The man who truly sowed the seeds of Hindutva in the country deserves the Bharat Ratna. Why has Bal Thackeray, the ‘Hindu-hriday Samrat,’ not been honored with this award? This is the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s demand,” Raut asserted.
Highlighting that Thackeray's centenary is just a year away, Raut said, “Before his centenary begins, it is imperative that he is given the Bharat Ratna. The government could not award the Bharat Ratna to Veer Savarkar. If they confer it upon Balasaheb, it will also honor the legacy of Savarkar.”
Mumbai South MP and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Arvind Sawant echoed the demand. “Balasaheb Thackeray defined what Hindutva ideals truly mean. The central government, which identifies itself as pro-Hindutva, must honor him with the Bharat Ratna. This is our strong demand,” Sawant said while paying homage to Thackeray at his memorial in Shivaji Park, central Mumbai.
In his speech, Raut also took a dig at the rival Shiv Sena faction led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, likening it to “Chinese firecrackers.” He remarked, “Chinese crackers only sparkle but fail to burst. That is what the BJP has brought with them—counterfeit products.”
Raut further declared that the true Shiv Sena resides at Matoshri, the Thackeray family’s residence in Bandra, where Uddhav Thackeray lives with his family. “There are counterfeit medicines, counterfeit clothes, and now, counterfeit political outfits. The real Shiv Sena is at Matoshri,” he emphasized.
The demand for the Bharat Ratna for Bal Thackeray underscores his role in shaping Hindutva ideology and remains a significant statement as the late leader’s centenary approaches.
With PTI inputs