‘Annamalai shouldn’t have spoken in that manner’: Sena chief Eknath Shinde on BJP leader’s remark on Mumbai

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said Monday that BJP leader Annamalai K was wrong to make remarks about Mumbai, which triggered a political controversy, and that such statements did not reflect the Shiv Sena’s stand.

Last week, Annamalai called for the Centre, Maharashtra, and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to align their vision for Mumbai, as he called it an “international city”.

“…because Bombay is not a city of Maharashtra, it is an international city. And this city has a budget of Rs 75,000 crore, which is not a small budget. Chennai has a budget of Rs 8,000 crore, Bengaluru Rs 19,000 crore. You need good people sitting in the administration to manage the finances,” Annamalai had said.

However, his remarks triggered backlash from state leaders, who accused him of undermining Maharashtra’s claim over Mumbai, with Uddhav and Raj Thackeray saying the BJP wanted to break Mumbai to dominate Marathi manoos and hand it over to industrialists.

In an interview, Shinde said, “What Annamalai said was not right. It was wrong and should not have been spoken in that manner. I have clearly conveyed this to the BJP, and they are looking into it”.

He added that the Sena’s position on Mumbai and Marathi identity was clear and non-negotiable, and should not be judged by stray comments from leaders of other parties.

Shinde said Mumbai’s place in Maharashtra was not open to debate. “No one can separate Mumbai from Maharashtra. No one has that courage. Mumbai is not a railway coach that can be detached from one place and attached to another,” he said.

Shinde also said that remarks made by Bharatiya Janata Party leader Krupa Shankar Singh in the recent past were not those of the BJP. “Krupa Shankar Singh does not speak for the BJP. He is not the BJP. One individual’s statement cannot be treated as the stand of allied parties,” Shinde said.

He said remarks made by individual leaders should not be treated as the stance of allied parties.

“One person speaking does not mean the party is speaking. Annamalai’s remark is not the stand of the Shiv Sena,” Shinde said.

The deputy chief minister said the Sena’s position on Mumbai had always been clear and rooted in Balasaheb Thackeray’s ideology. “The Shiv Sena has always stood for Mumbai being an inseparable part of Maharashtra. That stand has never changed,” he said.

Shinde said the issue was being raised to create controversy ahead of the civic body elections. “Such statements are taken up during elections to stir emotions. People understand what is real and what is political,” he said.