Raj Thackeray sets new-look MNS 'Hindutva' agenda

Taking a sharp right turn, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray on Thursday set forth an aggressive pro-Hindutva agenda which would be anti-Pakistani and anti-Bangladeshi infiltrators but inclusive of all genuine Indian Muslims.

Starting his speech by greeting the huge gathering as "Hindu friends", Raj Thackeray also endorsed his support to the CAA-NRC-NPR policies of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Central government, at the 13-year old party's first-ever mega-convention in NSE Grounds, suburban Goregaon, on the occasion of the 94th birth anniversary of his uncle and Shiv Sena founder, the late Balasaheb Thackeray.

He also took potshots at his estranged cousin and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, and put the Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) on notice by announcing the MNS would set up a 'Shadow Cabinet' to monitor the government's performance in key areas.

Raj Thackeray made it clear that he would not oppose merely for the sake of opposing, but deal with all issues on merits before opposing if they are not in the public interest.IANS