A day after Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi declared that Biharis were in several ways ?running the country? and that the battle for Mumbai on 26/11 was fought and won by commandos from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, the Shiv Sena reacted sharply, saying his remarks were an ?insult? to martyrs who sacrificed their life while defending Mumbai?an assertion rejected by Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan.
?Rahul Gandhi has insulted the bravery of martyrs like Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte, Vijay Salaskar, Tukaram Omble, all daring Marathi policemen, and NSG Major Sandeep Unnikrishan,? said Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray.
?Where was Rahul Gandhi when Mumbai was attacked?? Uddhav asked, adding that he condemned the anti-Marathi statement of the Congress leader.
Reacting to this, Rahul Gandhi, who is on a two-day visit to Bihar, said: ?In the first place, I am not interested in what Thackerays think or say, I only have to say that every part of India belongs to all Indians and praising people of Bihar does not mean undervaluing others.?
Another senior Shiv Sena leader, Manohar Joshi, said the Congress leader should ?study the issue and speak?. ?Gandhi should study the issue and then speak. The Maharashtrians also sacrificed their lives during the attacks,? Joshi told reporters here.
However, the Maharashtra chief minister said, ?Gandhi?s statement is not an insult to martyrs. The Sena and MNS have no developmental issues so they are fighting on this?. ?I fully endorse Rahul Gandhi?s stand that during the 26/11 attacks, people from all over the country fought to save Mumbai. When it comes to fighting for the nation, there is no issue of regionalism,? Chavan told reporters at Mantralaya.
Chavan said Rahul?s views focussed on the country?s unity. ?Mumbai is for all and the country is also for all. There is no discrimination. Everyone should get equal opportunities. However, the MNS and Shiv Sena are playing divisive politics over language and region,? he said.
On Monday, Rahul had flayed the Shiv Sena and the MNS for their tirade against people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, reminding them that the NSG men who vanquished terrorists during 26/11 were also from the two states and other places.
?Raj Thackeray keeps talking about driving out people of Bihar and UP from Mumbai. But I want to ask who the NSG commandos were. Most of them were from Bihar, UP and other parts of the country,? Rahul told Youth Congress workers at Kalchakra Maidan in Bodhgaya.
