Special Correspondent
Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has stated that there is a clear attempt underway to erase the political legacy of the ‘Thackeray-Pawar’ brand from Maharashtra. However, he firmly asserted that such efforts will never succeed. “Let me put it in writing – this brand will never end,” Thackeray declared in a recent interview with Mumbai Tak news channel.
Raj Thackeray elaborated, “In politics, a surname is not just a name – it’s an identity. My grandfather Prabodhankar Thackeray left a deep impression on Maharashtra. Then came Balasaheb Thackeray, who shaped the state’s politics significantly. In the cultural field, my father Shrikant Thackeray made his mark. Following that, you have me and Uddhav Thackeray. So while individual roles change, the value of the ‘Thackeray’ name continues.”
Speaking about the Pawar family, Thackeray remarked, “Sharad Pawar holds an undisputed position in Maharashtra’s politics. His career has been monumental. The political imprint left by the Thackeray and Pawar surnames is so deep-rooted that it cannot be erased easily.”
Opposition to New Education Policy
Raj Thackeray also took a firm stance against the recently proposed new education policy by the Maharashtra government. “Even if the government has withdrawn the decision, I will not allow books in other languages to reach Marathi schools,” he said.
He further clarified his position on language, stating, “Hindi is not the national language. No official declaration has ever granted it that status. Marathi is the official state language, while English holds global significance. Anyone who wants to learn Hindi is free to do so, but it should not be imposed.”
On Kashmir and the Recent Attacks
Thackeray made a startling claim regarding recent incidents in Kashmir, stating that he had sensed something major was going to happen. “I had been speaking to several people for the past year and had warned them that something big would occur in Kashmir. People may not believe me, but I had even predicted that tourists would be targeted,” he revealed.
“I am not an astrologer,” he said, “but based on what I saw and heard, I sensed danger. There are several people you can speak to, who were witness to these conversations. I never made any public statement about it earlier because I did not want to give away any hints,” he added.
Thackeray’s statements, especially around the cultural and political erasure of legacies and his predictions about Kashmir, have sparked a fresh wave of political discussions in Maharashtra. His message is clear – identities built over decades cannot be wiped away by political maneuvers.
