Thane, Mar 2 (PTI) Activists of the Shiv Sena and Shiv Sena (UBT) came face to face and shouted slogans before an event by the Uddhav Thackeray-led party in Maharashtra’s Thane city on Sunday evening.
The incident took place near Anand Ashram, the residence of late Shiv Sena leader Anand Dighe and the mentor of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, where the Sena (UBT) organised a rally in preparation for the upcoming civic elections.
Senior Sena (UBT) leaders Vinayak Raut, Sanjay Raut, and Chandrakant Khaire arrived in Thane to pay their respects to late Shiv Sena leader Anand Dighe, and as they gathered at Dighe’s bust outside Anand Ashram, members of the rival factions, including women, confronted each other, leading to a heated exchange of slogans.
The tensions escalated further when the Sena (UBT) leaders proceeded to Dighe’s memorial, Shakti Sthal.
Police deployed heavy security to prevent any untoward incident, ensuring the situation did not spiral out of control.
Speaking to the media, Sena (UBT) leader Khaire downplayed the incident, while former Shiv Sena women's wing leader Meenakshi Shinde criticised the rival faction leaders.
“They (Sena UBT leaders) have no right to visit Dighe's bust or memorial. Women activists drove them away and later purified the place," Shinde said.
MP Naresh Mhaske termed the Sena (UBT) leaders' visit a mere "show" with no real significance.
Meanwhile, Sanjay Raut alleged that Dighe’s memorial had been neglected while Shinde built properties for himself.
“I have just received information about two bungalows being built for Shinde Saheb, but Dighe Saheb’s memorial has still not been established,” said Raut, adding that Dighe was used only for politics, he claimed.
Raut also claimed that Anand Ashram has been turned into a “political palace” and that its ownership had been wrongly claimed by Shinde.
“The garland we offered was trampled underfoot by Shinde’s goons. Who did they insult? Anand Dighe Saheb himself. Is Dighe Saheb now your private property,” he asked.