Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Friday demanded Bharat Ratna for Bal Thackeray, one of the tallest leaders in Maharashtra politics and the founder of Shiv Sena. Thackeray died in 2012.
The demand for the highest civilian award for Bal Thackeray came hours after the government announced Bharat Ratna for former prime ministers PV Narasimha Rao and Charan Singh as well as ‘Green Revolution’ pioneer MS Swaminathan.
Calling Bal Thackeray “Hindu Hriday Samrat”, the MNS chief said that “it is high time” the government should confer Bharat Ratna on him.
“Former Prime Minister late PV. Narasimha Rao, late Chaudhary Charan Singh, and the pioneer of Indian Green Revolution, S Swaminathan have been honoured with the Bharat Ratna. However, S Swaminathan passed away a few months before this announcement. It was necessary to confer this honour upon such a scientist who had done remarkable work throughout his life,” a rough translation of Raj Thackeray’s Marathi post said.
“While PV Narasimha Rao and Chaudhary Charan Singh, along with Pranab Mukherjee, were honoured with the Bharat Ratna by the government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party a few years ago, showing political generosity, it is high time they also showed this generosity by honouring Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray with the Bharat Ratna,” Thackeray further said.
“This honour should also be bestowed upon the exceptional leader who awakened the pride of Hindus across the country. For many like me, who have inherited the thoughts of S Balasaheb Thackeray, it would be a moment of great joy if this were to happen,” it said.
Notably, this is not the first time that Maharashtra leaders have demanded Bharat Ratna for Bal Thackeray.
Earlier in November 2022, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut also demanded Bharat Ratna for Bal Thackeray.
Who is Bal Thackeray?
Born in Pune in 1926, Balasaheb Thackeray stepped into Indian politics in 1966 and founded the Shiv Sena to push the ideology of Hindutva. He died on November 17, 2012, after suffering a cardiac arrest at the age of 86.