Hindi imposition row: Raj, Uddhav Thackeray issue joint invite for Mumbai rally with no party symbol or flag

With no official flag or party symbol, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on Tuesday, July 1, issued a joint public invite for a rally in Mumbai on July 5 after the state government withdrew the three-language policy in schools. The rally will be held to mark “Marathi Vijay Diwas”.

Titled ‘Marathicha Awaaz’, the invitation marks the first official announcement of the event and carries no party symbols or flags – only a graphic of Maharashtra.

It lists cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray as the hosts. The rally would marl the first appearance by Raj and Uddhav Thackeray in nearly two decades.

Facing mounting opposition to the introduction of Hindi language in Maharashtra schools from classes 1 to 5, the state cabinet on Sunday decided to withdraw two government orders on the implementation of the three-language policy.

Immediately after the announcement, the Raj Thackeray-led MNS and former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT) said the protest march planned on July 5 against the GRs has been cancelled.

However, Uddhav Thackeray later said a programme will take place on July 5 to celebrate the “unity of the Marathi manoos”.

The joint invitation, addressed to "Marathi sisters and brothers", describes the rally as a celebration of Marathi pride and unity.

The message on the invitation read, “Did we make the government bow down? Yes! This celebration will be yours and we were merely fighting on behalf of you.”

The rally will begin at 10 am on July 5 at the NSCI Dome in Worli, it said.

The joint rally by the two Thackerays becomes significant as the cousins would be sharing a stage amid the speculations that they would be joining hands ahead of the coming civic polls in the state.

Preparations for the event are in full swing, with senior leaders from both parties involved in the planning.

From the Shiv Sena (UBT), Sanjay Raut, Anil Parab and Varun Sardesai have been tasked with organising the event, while the MNS has entrusted the responsibility to its leaders Bala Nandgaonkar, Abhijit Panse, Sandeep Deshpande and Nitin Sardesai.

(With agency inputs)