Mumbai, June 19 (IANS) The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray on Friday, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary, said that over the last six decades, multiple attempts have been made to tear apart and fracture the Shiv Sena, driven purely by the constant fear the party instils in its opponents. Many rival ‘Senas’ emerged and dissolved during this period, but the foundation and pinnacle built by Balasaheb Thackeray remained unshaken, it said.

The Thackeray camp, in an editorial in the party’s mouthpiece, ‘Saamana’, without directly mentioning the rebellion by six MPs, stated that even today, though imitation outfits driven by a commercial mindset continue to mushroom, the establishment of the Shiv Sena was never a commercial transaction. The Sena chief never allowed it to become one. “Consequently, opportunistic elements and deal-making contractors were shown the exit door at regular intervals to keep the movement pure — a flowing stream of Marathi and Hindutva pride that continues to echo through the valleys of Maharashtra,” it noted.

“The Shiv Sena taught the Marathi man to stand tall with self-respect. It instilled the confidence in their hearts and wrists to declare, ‘This Mumbai is mine’. The party turned ordinary citizens into municipal councillors and built a massive network of Shakhas (local offices) that functioned as the public’s own family courts. From resolving street-tap water disputes to managing school admissions, hospital assistance, and ration cards, Shiv Sainiks sat day in and day out to serve the people, rushing to any spot where injustice occurred,” said the editorial.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena said that in recent times an intense effort has been underway to chop down this crowning glory and strip Maharashtra of its self-respect. “Since its inception, individuals driven by severe political ambition have stabbed the party in the back. The Shiv Sena has reached this milestone by absorbing all these blows on its back — as none of its adversaries ever had the courage to confront it face-to-face. The Sena chief had once expressed this pain in anguish, saying, ‘So many wounds have been inflicted on my back that there is no space left to take a new one’,” it remarked.

According to the editorial, the Shiv Sena completely redefined social work. Whether it was a local accident or a bomb blast, Shiv Sainiks were always the first to rush to aid. Through blood donation drives, educational initiatives, health camps, and the free distribution of books and notebooks, the party reached every household. Operating with absolute selflessness, it became the ultimate support system for labourers and workers.

Through this relentless public service, the Shiv Sena went on to capture municipal corporations, the state Assembly, and Parliament, building a mountain of public welfare through governance. Only the Shiv Sena could pull off the miracle of turning the most ordinary citizens into MLAs, MPs, and Ministers, making the party the crowning glory of Maharashtra’s pride, said the editorial.

It is with this inherent pain that the Sena enters its 60th year. Along this journey, while a loyal army of followers stood firm, a few opportunists, helpless dependents, and defectors also emerged, fleeing for personal gain — a stark reflection of the death of morality in modern politics, noted the editorial.

“Just as the Shiv Sena echoed the ‘Marathi’ wind through the valleys of the Sahyadri mountains, it blew the conch shell of Hindutva to awaken the entire Hindu community. Whether it was the battle for Malanggad or Ayodhya, the Shiv Sena sacrificed immensely in the great ritual fire of Hindutva. Have today’s counterfeit champions of Hindutva achieved even a fraction of that work? asked the Thackeray camp.

“As the historic saying goes regarding Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj — that if he hadn’t existed, Hindus would have lost their identity — the Shiv Sena Chief carried that very legacy forward, while firmly preserving the territorial integrity of the nation. ‘Nation First’ is the mantra the Shiv Sena has permanently upheld. The chanting of that mantra continues today and will continue forever. The Shiv Sena is immortal,” commented the editorial.

–IANS

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