Singh’s comment on Thackeray origin is politically motivated, says Uddhav

Responding to Congress leader Digvijaya Singh’s comment on the north Indian origin of the Thackeray family, Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray said that it is a politically motivated statement.

Responding to Congress leader Digvijaya Singh’s comment on the north Indian origin of the Thackeray family, Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray said that it is a politically motivated statement.

HT Image

Last week, Uddhav had reiterated his father Sena chief Bal Thackeray’s demand for issuing permits for migrants entering Mumbai, with a special mention for people from Bihar.

Irked with the demand, Singh had stated that according to a book Mazhi Jeevangatha, written by Bal Thackeray’s father Prabodhankar Thackeray, the Thackerays originally belonged to Magadh in Bihar and migrated to Bhopal and later to Pune in search of work. Reacting to Singh’s statement, he said, “When he does not understand Marathi, on what basis can he make reference to my grandfather’s book? The reference is not specific to my family. It traces back the origins of the Thackeray community to North India”

Uddhav claimed that Singh’s forefathers served the British and he belonged to the khichi clan, according to a book Survey of Khichi written by AH Nizami and GS Khichi. “His forefathers served the British and he is now serving an Italian. Singh is an ancestor of Garib Das, who got all his wealth as gift from Akbar. His son Balwant Singh helped the English in the Maratha war in 1778,” he said.