Mumbai, Jan 23 (UNI) The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Thursday demanded the country’s top civilian honour, Bharat Ratna, for the party’s founder-patriarch, Bal Thackeray.
SS (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut made the plea on the occasion of Bal Thackeray’s 99th birth anniversary, saying it would be a fitting tribute ahead of his centenary celebrations starting next year (2026).
“Like Mahatma Gandhi and Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bal Thackeray never occupied any Constitutional office, but they were regarded and respected as leaders in their own right not only in the country but the world over. On the occasion of upcoming Republic Day (Jan 26) celebrations, we demand that the government should declare his name for Bharat Ratna,” Raut said while addressing a press conference along with Sena leaders Arvind Sawant and Anil Desai (both Lok Sabha members).
The SS (UBT) chief spokesperson further said that though Bal Thackeray (1926-2012) never occupied any public positions, he remained in the national limelight for over 50 years of his political career, ignited the spark of Hindutva, besides pride among the Hindus and Maharashtrians.
He also said that Bal Thackeray had carried forward the Hindutva ideals of Veer Savarkar, was among the first to demand a Bharat Ratna for him and also raised the demand for a grand memorial in his honour which stands in Dadar today.
“We have never asked anything for Bal Thackeray… However, this is the desire of not only Shiv Sainiks, but the people of Maharashtra, India and Hindus all over the world. All the party MPs have also made a similar plea today,” he added.
“In the past, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, Dr S Radhakrishnan, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, P V Narasimha Rao, Dr M S Swaminathan, Lata Mangeshkar or Pandit Bhimsen Joshi were conferred the Bharat Ratna. Which state had put forward their names?” countered Raut.
He called upon the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to honour the exhortation for a Bharat Ratna to Bal Thackeray instead of merely invoking ‘Hindutva’ in his name to seek votes.
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