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PM Modi Remembers Bal Thackeray On Birth Anniversary: 'Widely Respected For Commitment To Public Welfare'
Prime Minister Modi paid tribute to Balasaheb Thackeray, founder of Shiv Sena, on his birth anniversary, highlighting his commitment to Maharashtra's development.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid tribute to veteran politician Balasaheb Thackeray on his birth anniversary. The Shiv Sena founder is remembered for his commitment towards Maharashtra's development, he said.
"I pay homage to Balasaheb Thackeray Ji on his birth anniversary. He is widely respected and remembered for his commitment to public welfare and towards Maharashtra’s development," said Modi in a post on X.
"He was uncompromising when it came to his core beliefs and always contributed towards enhancing the pride of Indian culture," said the PM further.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also remembered Thackeray as "HinduHruday Samrat." "Humble tributes to HinduHruday Samrat, Founder of ShivSena Balasaheb Thackeray ji on his Birth Anniversary," Fadnavis said in a post on X sharing an animated montage of the former politician.
Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar also paid homage to Thackeray on his birth anniversary.
Former Maharashtra Minister and Thackeray's grandson, Aaditya Thackeray said there won't be another "HinduHruday Samrat" sending greetings to his later grandfather.
Balasaheb Thackeray, popularly known as Bal Thackeray was born on January 23, 1926 in Pune to a Marathi Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhu household.
His father Keshav Thackeray was a writer, social activist, and leader of the Samyukta Maharashtra Chalwal movement. The movement advocated for a separate state for the Marathi-speaking population in the 1950s.
Thackeray began his career as a cartoonist for the Free Press Journal. His cartoons were featured in The Times of India's Sunday edition. He quit his job in 1960 and six years later, in 1966 entered politics and founded Shiv Sena.
The Shiv Sena remained a long-time ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party until 2019. Eventually, the party suffered a vertical split in 2022 with one faction led by Thackeray's son Uddhav Thackeray while the other by Eknath Shinde.
Thackeray passed away on November 17, 2012, after suffering a heart attack at the age of 86.