New Delhi: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday said senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra is a movement to end the "atmosphere of bitterness" and unite the country, and that it should be welcomed, news agency PTI reported.
"The Bharat Jodo Yatra is a movement to unite the country and end the atmosphere of bitterness. This should be welcomed,'' the Sena leader said.
Raut was speaking after he met Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar to inquire about his health at his residence.
It is to be noted that Raut, a Rajya Sabha MP, was released on bail on Wednesday, three months after his arrest in an alleged money laundering case.
It is to be noted that case pertains to alleged financial irregularities in the redevelopment of Patra Chawl and related financial transactions involving Sanjay Raut's wife and associates.
Siddharth Nagar, popularly known as Patra Chawl in Goregaon, is spread over 47 acres and houses 672 tenant families.
In 2008, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) had assigned a redevelopment contract for the Chawl to Guru Ashish Construction Private Limited (GACPL), a sister company of Housing Development and Infrastructure Ltd (HDIL).
The GACPL was supposed to build 672 flats for tenants and give some flats to MHADA.
However, the tenants did not get a single flat in the last 14 years as the company did not redevelop the Patra Chawl and sold land parcels and Floor Space Index (FSI) to other builders for Rs 1,034 crore, as per the ED.
Reacting to Raut's release, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former minister Aaditya Thackeray said, "The tiger is back. He was put in jail, but he didn't flee the way 40 "traitors" fled (a reference to rebel Sena MLAs)."