Uddhav Thackeray gives Mangeshkar family event, honouring PM Modi, a miss

Thackeray, though, visited the home of 80-year-old Chandrabhaga Shinde who was seen protesting outside Matoshree, his residence, against independent MLA Ravi Rana and MP Navneet Rana on Saturday.

According to an officer in the government, as per the plan, senior Sena leader and industries minister Subhash Desai was assigned to attend the award function on behalf of the state government. Desai along with the minister of state for protocol Aditi Tatkare was to receive the PM; later, environment minister Aaditya Thackeray also joined them at the airport.

This is not the first time Uddhav Thackeray has skipped a programme with the PM. Earlier, on March 6, when the Prime Minister visited Pune to inaugurate the Pune Metro rail project, the Chief Minister had stayed away from the function. The Sena had, at that time, said that CM was recovering from his operation due to which he could not attend the function.

When asked whether the CM deliberately avoided sharing platform with the Prime Minister as his government was, as repeatedly alleged by MVA leaders, targeting them through central agencies, Shiv Sena’s chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut replied in the affirmative. However, he refused to elaborate on it. “I have not spoken to the Chief Minister about this…Anyway, it is the Chief Minister’s Office which should clarify as to why the CM stayed away from the function.”
Raut said the government followed the protocol. “Two ministers went to receive the Prime Minister at the airport,” he said.

Sources said when the award was conceptualised, some from the Mangeshkar family unanimously decided to give it to PM Modi who considered veteran singer Lata Mangeshkar as his sister.

Two members of the Mangeshkar family went to Varsha, the CM’s official residence, to invite him to the event on Saturday, said sources.

The Mangeshkar and Thackeray families are said to have very close ties. When Lata Mangeshkar passed away on February 6, the CM, his wife Rashmi and son Aaditya were present at her family home and later gathered for her funeral at Shivaji Park. In the past, Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray have attended several events related to the singer’s father Dinanath Mangeshkar’s death anniversary, which falls on April 24.

“It is a fact that Thackeray’s name wasn’t there on the invitation card despite him being the CM of the state. It is an insult to the Marathi people of Maharashtra. Hence, the CM did not go for the function,” a Sena leader told The Indian Express on condition of anonymity.

Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande said, “Mangeshkar family was treated with high regard by the Thackeray family and they had a close bonding. Uddhavji immediately decided to give her state funeral at Shivaji Park (after her death earlier this year). The Mangeshkars did invite the CM, but they didn’t follow protocol on putting his name on the card. We are also starting Lata Mangeshkar college at Kalina. Why was CM’s name not there on the card?” asked Kayande.

“The Mangeshkar family has avoided mentioning the name of the Chief Minister on the invitation card of Lata Mangeshkar Award Ceremony. Their role is beyond understanding. This act of the Mangeshkar family, which has gained immense popularity living in this state, is an insult to 12 crores Marathi people,” said Jitendra Awhad, NCP leader and Housing Minister.

The State BJP criticised the Chief Minister for staying away from the function. “It seems the Chief Minister does not like to see felicitation of others or he cannot stand others being honoured….It reflects poorly on the Chief Minister of a state,” said BJP State spokesperson Madhav Bhandari.

Meanwhile, accompanied by his wife and sons Aaditya and Tejas, Thackeray visited Shinde’s home in Parel. Videos of Shinde, a Shiv Sainik, protesting outside Matoshree and raising slogans against the Rana couple had gone viral on social media after which she was being referred to as “fire aaji” in the Sena circles.

On Saturday too, Thackeray had spoken to Shinde and had inquired about  her health.

“Shiv Sainiks like her are the real strength of the Shiv Sena. Balasaheb (Thackeray) used to say that a person grows older with age but should be young in mind. While she is a grandmother, she is an activist of the party’s youth wing, Yuva Sena. I have come to seek her blessings. She has shown that the Shiv Sainiks never bow down,” said Thackeray, who has also invited her to his official residence.

Shinde, too, expressed pleasure at the Thackeray family’s visit. “I am happy that Uddhav Saheb, Rashmi vahini and the two sons came to my home. This is a very happy moment for me. In Mumbai, only the Shiv Sena will win no matter what,” she said.

A senior Sena leader said, “The Chief Minister has not taken kindly to the attempt by the Modi government to target MVA leaders through central agencies like ED. He has especially been hurt by the fact that the Modi government was now targeting his family members…In future too, if the Modi Government continues to do what it is doing, the CM will respond by refusing to share platform with the Prime Minister.”