Thackeray on defensive about Miandad visit to his house

Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray today termed as "Goebbels' propaganda" the raking up the issue of Pakistan cricketer Javed Miandad's visit to his residence here five years ago, saying an anti-Mumbai virus has spread but it would have no impact on his party.

"The Pakistan cricketer's visit to my house is being capitalised for political gains. I would like to state that it won't have any impact on Shiv Sena and Shiv Sainiks," Thackeray said in an article in party mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

"There has been a spurt of anti-Mumbai and anti-Maharashtra virus. It is not surprising because some people have been hurt that Maharashtra got Mumbai," Thackeray said.

He said raising the issue of Miandad's visit to his house was part of a "Goebbels propaganda" by a section of media and recalled that cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar took the initiative in arranging the meeting with Miandad.

"The meeting was to request that Pakistan players be allowed to play in India. I rejected that request," the Shiv Sena supremo said.  

Meanwhile, NCP MLA and former minister Nawab Malik has said the 2004 visit by Miandad to Thackeray's residence in suburban Bandra shows that "Thackeray has no right to call actor Shah Rukh Khan anti-national.

"Thackeray felicitated Miandad, who is not only a Pakistani but he is also related to India's most-wanted criminal Dawood Ibrahim," Malik said.

"Thackeray invited Miandad to his house and praised him for his performance in Sharjah, especially in a match against India," he alleged.

"Thackeray had then said he liked Miandad and could not forget the lofty six he hit off Chetan Sharma to win the Australasia Cup in Sharjah in 1986," he claimed.