Mumbai, Jan 23: The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Thursday demanded the Bharat Ratna for Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray.
Speaking on the occasion of the late leader’s 99th birth anniversary, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said the BJP-led government has in the last 10 years conferred the country’s highest civilian honour on some persons who did not deserve it.
“But the man who truly sowed the seeds of Hindutva in the country must also be given the Bharat Ratna. Why has he not been given Bharat Ratna? ‘Hindu-hriday Samrat’ Bal Thackeray must be honoured with the award. This is Shiv Sena (UBT)’s demand,” he said. Raut noted that Thackeray’s birth centenary was a year away.
“Before the centenary starts, it is necessary that he gets the Bharat Ratna. You could not give the Bharat Ratna to Veer Savarkar. If you give Bharat Ratna to Balasaheb, it will also be an honour for Veer Savarkar,” the Rajya Sabha member further said.
His party colleague and Mumbai South MP Arvind Sawant also made the same demand, saying that Thackeray showed the country what “Hindutva ideals” are. (PTI)
