Mumbai: Greeting Bal Thackeray on his
birthday today, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi has
described the Shiv Sena chief as a 'straightforward' leader.
"Balasaheb is a straightforward leader... He always
fought for Hindutva," Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' quoted Modi as
saying.
"A personality like his comes once in a century," Modi
said, on the occasion of Thackeray turning 86 today. "He gave
all in the national interest and ruled people's hearts," the
CM said.
The Sena chief’s birthday was celebrated with enthusiasm
with thousands of activists across the state visiting his
residence Matoshri in suburban Bandra.
A 'rudrakshtula' of Thackeray was performed by the
Nepali Shramik Mazdoor Union. The 'rudraksh' were later given
to those gathered. At the Juhu beach, sculptor Lakshmi Kamble
made a sand portrait of the Sena patriarch, drawing a throng
of admirers.
In a message to supporters, Thackeray said he would
not be able to meet them like he did in the past. "Then,
meeting you was my tonic. It still is. However, I don't have
the same strength I had earlier," he said.
Talking to reporters at Matoshri, Thackeray replied to
queries on his praise by Modi. "How do I know why he praised
me? Ask him, why he praised me," he said. "Or is it a paid
news like there is paid news in media," he quipped.
Reacting to remarks by estranged nephew, MNS chief Raj
Thackeray, that Sena had lost people's support, the Sena
chief said, "does he (Raj) have a machine to monitor people's
minds?"
Meanwhile, in an editorial in 'Saamana', Thackeray flayed
party's Lok Sabha member from Kalyan, Anand Paranjpe, who has
joined NCP. "There is no place in history for
traitors," he said.
PTI
First Published: Monday, January 23, 2012, 15:18