Tweet
An unseemly war of words broke out between Bal Thackeray and Anna Hazare on Friday over the remarks made by the Shiv Sena chief against the lavish arrangements made by Team Anna at the fast undertaken by the latter at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi in August.
Within hours of Hazare ridiculing “the ageing” Thackeray for saying “absurd” things, the Sena chief — not given to mincing words — Thackeray warned Hazare not to indulge in such thing that would result in an “enmity” with him.
“You should realise that I am not a Gandhian,” the Sena chief said, suggesting that such “enmity” with him would prove to be costly for Hazare.
It was Thackeray who had rubbed Hazare the wrong way first. Speaking at the Dussehra rally on Thursday night, the Sena chief had said, “While he was on hunger strike, over 35,000 people were being served meals twice a day. The fast organizers were even providing juice to those visiting the fast venue. Anna may be honest, but he cannot alone root out corruption from the country because there are several big guns, steeped in corruption.”
Ticked off by Thackeray, Hazare hit back at the 85-year-old Sena chief on Thursday morning, saying, “Owing to his old age, Thackeray says absurd nonsensical things. I have had many public spats with Thackeray in the past. Every time, it was Thackeray who reneged from his stand and came around.”
“Because of an anti-corruption crusade launched by me, three Shiv Sena ministers in the Sena-BJP Government had to resign. My fight is against corruption. I have nothing personal against Thackeray,” Hazare said.
Apparently taking umbrage at 74-year-old Hazare’s remarks against him relating to his advancing age, Thackeray retaliated: “It is true that I have become old. You may be younger than me, but this kind of childishness does not behoove well for you… Don’t unnecessarily indulge in such things that would result in enmity with me”.
This is for the second time in recent months when Thackeray and Hazare have this kind of a face-off. Having opposed vehemently the first round of fast undertaken by Hazare in April this year, the Sena chief had charged that the anti-corruption agitation was “funded” by corporate houses. Hazare retaliated, daring the Sena chief to prove the allegations against him.
Subsequently, mid-way through Hazare’s second round of fast at Ramlila Maidan (which the Shiv Sena supported), Thackeray had on August 26 charged that Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi, Prashant Bhushan and others — were playing with the life of Anna Hazare to settle their personal scores with the UPA government.
Within hours of Hazare ridiculing “the ageing” Thackeray for saying “absurd” things, the Sena chief — not given to mincing words — Thackeray warned Hazare not to indulge in such thing that would result in an “enmity” with him.
“You should realise that I am not a Gandhian,” the Sena chief said, suggesting that such “enmity” with him would prove to be costly for Hazare.
It was Thackeray who had rubbed Hazare the wrong way first. Speaking at the Dussehra rally on Thursday night, the Sena chief had said, “While he was on hunger strike, over 35,000 people were being served meals twice a day. The fast organizers were even providing juice to those visiting the fast venue. Anna may be honest, but he cannot alone root out corruption from the country because there are several big guns, steeped in corruption.”
Ticked off by Thackeray, Hazare hit back at the 85-year-old Sena chief on Thursday morning, saying, “Owing to his old age, Thackeray says absurd nonsensical things. I have had many public spats with Thackeray in the past. Every time, it was Thackeray who reneged from his stand and came around.”
“Because of an anti-corruption crusade launched by me, three Shiv Sena ministers in the Sena-BJP Government had to resign. My fight is against corruption. I have nothing personal against Thackeray,” Hazare said.
Apparently taking umbrage at 74-year-old Hazare’s remarks against him relating to his advancing age, Thackeray retaliated: “It is true that I have become old. You may be younger than me, but this kind of childishness does not behoove well for you… Don’t unnecessarily indulge in such things that would result in enmity with me”.
This is for the second time in recent months when Thackeray and Hazare have this kind of a face-off. Having opposed vehemently the first round of fast undertaken by Hazare in April this year, the Sena chief had charged that the anti-corruption agitation was “funded” by corporate houses. Hazare retaliated, daring the Sena chief to prove the allegations against him.
Subsequently, mid-way through Hazare’s second round of fast at Ramlila Maidan (which the Shiv Sena supported), Thackeray had on August 26 charged that Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi, Prashant Bhushan and others — were playing with the life of Anna Hazare to settle their personal scores with the UPA government.
