Amid Rahul Gandhi's visit to Mumbai, the Congress Working Committee on Friday rejected the politics of the Shiv Sena saying that the challenge of those seeking to threaten the country's unity will be accepted by all Indians.
"Congress and Maharashtra both have a tradition of composite
Indian culture. We not only believe in political unity of the country but also its emotional unity," Defence Minister A K Antony told the CWC.
"The challenges of those who are trying to break this unity will be accepted by every citizen," Antony, who is AICC in-charge of Maharashtra, said in the backdrop of Sena and MNS coming out against the "Mumbai for all" remarks of Rahul.
Party General Secretary Janardhan Dwivedi, who briefed reporters on the deliberations, said that Antony's statement summed up the sentiments of the members.
The meeting saw attack on Shiv Sena and MNS, but Dwivedi said there was no direction from the CWC to the Maharashtra government whose "condition and direction was proper".
Chief Minister Ashok Chavan was absent at the CWC as he was busy in Mumbai for Rahul's visit.
Party leaders suggested that the media had played up 'fringe players' like Shiv Sena and MNS and it did not want to enter into a verbal duel with the Sena on its undignified attack on Rahul.