India News | Attempt to Malign Fadnavis? Uddhav's Veiled Jibe at Shinde After Sena MLA Slaps Canteen Worker

Mumbai, Jul 9 (PTI) Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday sought to link the slapping incident involving a Shiv Sena MLA with purported differences between the Shiv Sena headed by Eknath Shinde and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

"Is this an attempt to malign the chief minister? He should be cautious," Thackeray replied cryptically when reporters sought his reaction on Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad slapping an employee of the MLA's hostel canteen here for serving 'stale' food.

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A viral video shows Gaikwad berating the canteen operator over the quality of food, refusing to pay the bill, and repeatedly slapping the staff member seated at the billing counter of the Akashvani MLA hostel.

Despite widespread condemnation, the Buldhana strongman remained defiant, saying he does not regret his action.

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Meanwhile, Thackeray has extended Sena (UBT)'s support to the agitating mill workers and unaided teachers. He criticised the state government over redevelopment projects.

Addressing a rally organised by the Joint Action Committee of Mill Workers at Azad Maidan, Thackeray said, "Towers have come up on mill lands, but the mill workers have been left homeless in this process".

Referring to his truncated tenure as chief minister, Thackeray said he would have ensured homes for mill workers and rejected criticism that he didn't do enough for the Marathi community.

In a fresh attack on the BJP government over the Dharavi redevelopment project, Thackeray said, "Just as Adani group has been gifted Dharavi (slum sprawl for redevelopment), I demand mill workers be given homes in Dharavi".

Thackeray, who visited the protest site of unaided teachers, reiterated his support for their demands. "I have promised the teachers that we stand with them in their fight for justice," he said.

Thackeray opposed the Dharavi redevelopment project.

"Adani can construct towers at the Deonar dumping ground and no objections would be raised. If they want towers there, let them build," he told reporters outside Vidhan Bhavan.

Thackeray reiterated his opposition to any attempt to impose the Hindi language in Maharashtra, saying, "those enforcing such language compulsions must be opposed".

The BJP-led state government recently withdrew its two orders on introducing Hindi as a third language in primary schools amid backlash from the opposition parties.

The revocation brought Thackeray and his estranged cousin Raj Thackeray, who heads the MNS, together on a common political stage after 20 years.

Uddhav termed the recent attack on a shopkeeper for not speaking Marathi in the Mira-Bhayandar area as outrageous.

"While travelling on a train this morning, I noticed that people have to endure bullying. What will happen if this anger explodes one day?" he asked.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)