Rahul to go ahead with Mumbai visit today

Upping the ante in the “Mumbai for all” row, the Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray on Thursday ordered party cadres to greet Rahul Gandhi with black flags to mark their protests when he visits Mumbai on Friday, after the unfazed Congress leader stuck to his schedule.

Gearing up for the Congress leader’s visit, authorities have tightened security at venues during his interactions with youths and slum dwellers, even as Chief Minister Ashok Chavan warned of strict action if anyone takes law into their hands.

Bal Thackeray has asked Sena workers to show black flags to Rahul during his visit to the city, senior party leader Sanjay Raut said.

Reacting with disdain, Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said in New Delhi that the Congress and Rahul were not bothered about Shiv Sena’s rhetoric and their black flag protests.

Apparently setting the stage for a tough political war on the issue of North Indian migrants through the black flag protests, Bal Thackeray’s directive came amid an escalating war of words between the Shiv Sena and Rahul, who has taken that party head on with his remark that Mumbai is for all Indians and that all people have a right to go anywhere.

Rahul, during his short visit, would interact with college students at the Bhaidas Hall in suburban Vile Parle and would later meet slum youths in Ghatkopar, Mumbai Youth Congress President Sunil Ahire said. The visit is part of the ongoing Mumbai Youth Congress membership drive for the organisational elections.