Shiv Sena is a Hindu right-wing party founded in 1966 by Bal Thackeray, then a political cartoonist, in Maharashtra. The party fought for the rights of the Marathis in the face of a wave of immigration from Kerala and other southern states in the 1960s. But from pro-Maratha, it soon took on the image of being a pro-Hindu party, and has faced charges of inciting hate and participating in the violence, leading up to the Bombay riots of 1992-1993.
In alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Shiv Sena came to power in Maharashtra in 1995. The alliance remained till 2019, except for a brief breakup in 2014. It was in 2019, that the Shiv Sena, now under the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray, decided to break with the BJP, and joined hands with the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) — parties ideologically opposed to it. This led to a split in 2022, when another Shiv Sena emerged under Eknath Shinde.
Rebellion, though, is not new to the party. The Sena split in 1991 when senior leader Chhagan Bhujbal quit along with many MLAs and workers. Then, in 2005, Narayan Rane quit and took several lawmakers along with him. Uddhav Thackeray’s cousin, Raj, left the party along with several lawmakers and workers in 2006.
The legacy of Morarji Desai, who had conspired in a similar manner to break Mumbai from Maharashtra, is trying to be recreated. But the people of Maharashtra had killed this conspiracy with their lives and the Hutatma Smarak at Hutatma Chowk is living proof to that resistance.
BTW, now it is Vidhan Sabha, BMC and Bollywood that they are after, simply for selfish reasons – fall the government, take control of Maharashtra, Mumbai, Filmline and splurge on the funds w/o anybody having to question.
That is the dream of Modi. Separate Mumbai from Maharashtra and Modi’s name will be written in golden words in Gujarati history.
Politics and Bollywood is a heady mix! Media’s dream scene!
The Sonia-Sena has proved that they are incompetent, corrupt and unfit for power. Their “spokesperson” is nothing more than a common street thug. Sonia-Sena is a blot on the legacy of the great Maratha hero Shivaji Maharaj. Marathi people are hanging their heads in shame thanks to these fools in power.