Sanjay Raut demands Bharat Ratna for Balasaheb Thackeray, criticises Modi, Shah
Mumbai: On the birth anniversary of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut called for conferring him with the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour.
"Balasaheb Thackeray should be awarded the Bharat Ratna. He established Shiv Sena and fought for the rights of Marathi people," Raut said on Thursday.
Raut criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah after they paid homage to Thackeray on X (formerly Twitter). "Conferring the Bharat Ratna would be the true respect for Balasaheb. PM Modi and Amit Shah attempted to break Shiv Sena, and now they are tweeting to wish him on his birthday. This is hypocrisy," he remarked.
He also took a dig at Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, accusing them of paying insincere tributes. "Shiv Sena was Balasaheb Thackeray's soul, and they attacked it for political gains," he added.
Praising Thackeray, Raut stated, "Leaders like Balasaheb Thackeray are born once in a lifetime. He transformed ordinary people into leaders without ever holding a position himself."
Earlier in the day, PM Modi, Amit Shah, and other prominent leaders paid homage to Thackeray. In a post on X, PM Modi said, "I pay homage to Balasaheb Thackeray Ji on his birth anniversary. He is widely respected for his commitment to public welfare and Maharashtra’s development."
Balasaheb Thackeray founded the Shiv Sena party and was known for his advocacy for Maratha and Hindu causes.
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Two women drown in canal while returning from farmland in Raichur
Lingsugur (Raichur district): Two women lost their lives after slipping into a canal near Aanahosuru village in Lingsugur taluk on Wednesday evening, police said.
The deceased were identified as Devamma Durugappa Pujari, aged 30, and Eramma Venkatesh, aged 40, both residents of Nanjaladinni village in Maski taluk. The incident occurred while they were on their way back home after finishing work in a nearby agricultural field.
According to the police, the women stopped near the canal to wash their hands and legs. During this, Devamma reportedly lost her balance and fell into the water. Eramma attempted to save her but also slipped and was swept in, as reported by Deccan Herald.
Local residents rushed to the spot after learning about the incident, but both women had drowned by the time help arrived. Their bodies were later retrieved from the canal.
