Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said the INDIA bloc rally at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park, a venue from where Balasaheb Thackeray often addressed the country, was a “black day” for the Shiv Sena.
"Today is a black day for Shiv Sena people because, from Shivaji Park, Balasaheb Thackeray guided the whole country. In the same park, this rally is happening and those who spoke against Veer Savarkar and made allegations against him are attending this, it is unfortunate... in the upcoming elections, people will teach them a lesson," Eknath Shinde said.
Hitting back at the Maharashtra CM, Congress leader Pawan Khera said Shinde and PM Modi are nervous.
"Today, Eknath Shinde is nervous. Tomorrow, PM Modi would also be visibly nervous... The data is in front of everyone now," Pawan Khera said.
Shivaji Park has traditionally been the venue for rallies and gatherings of the Shiv Sena. Rahul Gandhi ended his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra with a rally at Shivaji Park and it will be a show of strength for the INDIA bloc, with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and NC leader Farooq Abdullah.
On his arrival at the venue, Gandhi paid floral tributes to the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and visited the memorial of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackray and paid his respects.
The last rally of the Congress at the venue was addressed by Sonia Gandhi in 2003. Speaking to reporters, Shinde said, It is a black day for the Shiv Sena, as Shivaji Park is the venue from where Balasaheb addressed the country and today you (Udddhav) are sharing the stage with Rahul Gandhi who insulted Savarkar.
Reacting to Shiv Sena’s remarks that Balasaheb would not have wanted the party to become Congress, Sena (UBT) leader Sachin Ahir said, “Balasaheb also did not want the Shiv Sena to become a BJP."
Reacting to Shinde's statement, NCP-SCP leader Anil Deshmukh says, "For Maharashtra the 'black day' was when Eknath Shinde took 50 MLAs from Shiv Sena by bribing Rs 50 crore to each MLA and became the CM. When Ajit Pawar left our party with 40 other MLAs, that day was the 'black day' for Maharashtra."