Central agencies did not come calling when Bal Thackeray criticised Rajiv: Uddhav Thackeray at Congress event
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday said that despite being bitter rivals in the past, the undivided Shiv Sena and Congress were never vindictive towards each other. Speaking at a 'Sadbhavana Diwas' event here to mark the birth anniversary of the late Rajiv Gandhi, Thackeray also noted that Central agencies never harassed Shiv Sena leaders even though party founder Bal Thackeray had criticised the then prime minister in his speeches.
Thackeray, who joined hands with the Congress in 2019 after parting ways with the Bharatiya Janata Party, took part in a Congress event for the first time. He also wore a Congress scarf for a brief time.
The programme was also attended by NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Pawar said it was unfortunate that Prime Minister Narendra Modi harbours a grudge against the Nehru-Gandhi family whose four generations have toiled for the country.
«No one can erase the contributions of (former prime minister Jawaharlal) Nehru and his family from the country's contribution,» Pawar said.
Describing Rajiv Gandhi as a civilised man, Thackeray said despite having a brute majority of more than 400 seats in 1984, he brought in legislation to strengthen the Panchayati Raj and decentralise power.
He said Rajiv Gandhi did not put his photo on inoculation certificates despite carrying out vaccination programmes at such a large scale, in an apparent dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was criticised for having his images on COVID-19 vaccine
