Mumbai, Jan 23 (IANS) On the occasion of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray’s birth centenary year, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, in a stinging critique of recent political shifts and defections, on Friday expressed a sombre sense of relief that the Sena founder was not alive to witness the current state of affairs.

“People say Balasaheb should have been here today. But looking at this ‘market of slaves’ in Maharashtra, I feel it’s for the best that he isn’t here. That man would have been so pained and distressed. Two hundred years ago, human auctions used to happen at village squares; today, those auctions are happening again in places like Kalyan, Dombivli, and Thane,” Raj Thackeray remarked.

He delivered a deeply emotional and scathing speech. While reminiscing about his late uncle, Raj Thackeray took a sharp swipe at the current political climate in Maharashtra, describing it as a “market of slaves”.

He shared the dais with his brother and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray. He revealed that after speaking with Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut about the current situation, he felt a sense of “shisari” (intense disgust/nausea).

“It is a good thing he isn’t here to see this. He could never have watched the things he built from scratch be treated this way.”

Addressing the gathering, Raj Thackeray spoke about the difficulty of defining a personality as vast as Balasaheb.

“His birth centenary year begins today. I wrote an article in Saamana sharing many memories, but I often wonder — how do I view him? As an uncle, a cartoonist, or the Hinduhridaysamrat and Shiv Sena chief? If we start talking about him, I can guarantee that Uddhav and I could speak to you for hours on end,” he said.

The MNS chief also touched upon his personal journey and his exit from the undivided Shiv Sena two decades ago.

“When I left the party, the pain was different. For me, it wasn’t about leaving a political party; it was about leaving my home. Twenty years have passed since then. I have come to understand many things over time, and I believe Uddhav, too, has understood many things by now.”

Raj Thackeray briefly choked up while concluding his thoughts on the late patriarch. He reiterated that the current political degradation — where leaders created by Balasaheb are now scattered across various factions for power — would have been unbearable for the Shiv Sena founder to witness.

–IANS

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