Author: Press Trust of India
Publication: The Hindustan Times
Date: June 23, 2004
URL: http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_842879,0008.htm?headline=Don't~remove~Modi~under~pressure,~says~Thackeray~»
Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray
on Tuesday came out strongly in support of beleaguered Gujarat Chief Minister
Narendra Modi and reminded the BJP that its defeat in the Lok Sabha polls
was due to the party giving up Hindutva line and going in for 'minority
appeasement'.
"You (BJP) came to power on the
Hindutva issue. What was Advani's Rath Yatra? You come to power on Hindu
votes and then forget it and then start wooing Muslims. This upset the
Hindus," he said in an interview to Aaj Tak news channel.
On the Modi issue, Thackeray told
the BJP that it would be playing in the hands of opposition if it removed
the Gujarat Chief Minister.
"It (removal of Modi) is an issue
made out by the opposition for their selfish ends. Why are you (BJP) removing
him under pressure? he said.
"You (BJP) think of your party's
interest", the Sena supremo added.
Thackeray sarcastically remarked,
"voters have already removed everybody", but doubted if the new man coming
in could not commit mistakes.
Noting that earlier BJP was practising
hardline Hindutva and Advani's Rath Yatra was an example of it, he said
"they should have continued on the Rath".
Quoting Rabindra Tagore's Ekla chalo
re, the Sena supremo asserted he would never give up Hindutva, no matter
whether BJP followed it or not.
