Thackeray targets MNS over leader's pic with Raza official

A protest organised by Raza Academy and others against incidents in Assam and Myanmar here on August 11 had turned violent.

The photo published in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' on August 27 showed Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MLA Bala Nandgaonkar at a meeting with the Raza Academy functionary, along with Congress leader Kripashankar Singh.

"Political parties which sit next to rioters take out morchas four days later against the same rioters. Is this not a betrayal of Hindus," Thackeray said, in an editorial in the newspaper today.

Thackeray's remarks have come as a surprise as the Sena mouthpiece had devoted a major portion of its front page to the MNS chief's rally, held on August 21 against the violence.

Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha member and spokesperson Sanjay Raut had mentioned in his weekly column that "Raj Thackeray organised a morcha and gave vent to the simmering discontent. Mumbaikars participated in the morcha in large numbers. This was a reaction to the action of the rioters."

Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray's recent ailment saw Raj rushing to be at Uddhav's bedside, when the latter went in for an angiography and even drove Uddhav back from the hospital to his home.