Exclusive: Read full interview of Raj Thackeray to Rajat Sharma in 'Aap Ki Adalat' (Part 3)

RS: Yes, this situation did arise.Raj: So when those criminals are coming to Maharashtra and I'm taking action against them, you are calling me mad? RS: But you put everyone in that category. Raj: I have never said that. I have all the footages of my speeches. RS: Right now you mentioned Munshi Premchand and Harivansh Rai Bachan. But you didn't mention Amitabh Bachan. Will you not welcome him? Raj: Why not? The other day I was with him…RS: But previously you said that he was more attached to Uttar Pradesh. He established a school in UP. Why did he not make one in Maharashtra?Raj: You take half of the statement and leave the rest. You only take what you need. What I had said then, I'd said the same thing in front of them. I said Amitabh Bachan Lata Mangeshkar, Sachin Tendulkar must not be ambassadors of any state. They are brand ambassadors of the entire nation. When I speak of Marathi then you say that he is devoted to his state. Every person has an attachment to their state. He fought elections in Allahabad, acted in Bhojpuri films, etc. If such a big man has bond with his state, cant a small man like Raj Thackeray have? That's all I wanted to say. You only picked up the initial part.RS: But something has changed for sure. Amitabh Bachan had to even apologies.Raj: No…That was another episode. That was of Jaya Bachan and not Amitabh Bachan. You also know that. RS: Yes but now I'll read your speech: “Respected Amitabh, in the 100 years of Bollywood, there has never been nor will ever be a greater star than you.” So you viewpoint has changed now. Raj: So what has changed? I'd said this for him. I'll send you the footage of my speech that I delivered in March 2008, at Shivaji Park. There is no difference in what I'd said then and this. There's a change in your viewpoint. RS: I don't…Raj: I don't mean you in person, but right now for me you are the representative of all the channels. RS: I swa Abu Azmi's statement when he said that by sharing stage with Amitabh Bachan, Raj Thackeray has betrayed his people. Raj: Who are we talking about? That man you gave such a shameless message. Even his daughter in law was embarrassed. She said that if my father in law has made such a statement then I'll be terribly ashamed. That man has no position even at home. This man has disgusting thoughts of ladies in his house. How can he say anything? RS: Yes I agree and Mulayam Singh also made such statement.. It's wrong.RS: On 8th May, 2010 Supreme Court had issued an order to Raj Thackery to refrain from targeting north Indians and giving provocative speeches. Raj: don't know which footage the Supreme Court has right now. Very often it so happens that I speak in Marathi and Hindi and English channels translate it incorrectly. Once while I was delivering a speech, a female anchor was translating it incorrectly. A boy was here reporting. He heard her and called her up and said that you are misinterpreting what is being said. The female journalist said, “Shut up! You do what you have to and let us do what we have to.” What does that mean now? If you are wrongly presenting what I'm saying and you are creating enmity between two states then it's also wrong. I also have a point of view. You should first understand this. RS: We have invited you to |Aap Ki Adalat today so that you could present your point of view and I must say that the way you have answered without ducking any question, the people must have understood your stand on questions related to UP and Bihar. Raj: Why would I get angry over UP and Bihar? If there are people from these states who are creating problems, then there are also good boys, from good families, who are coming from these states. Ask them if Raj Thackeray or his men created any trouble for them? The morcha that was taken out at Azad Maidan by some Muslims, first attacked police , some female police constable were dragged inside and rest you must be knowing… Later on, it was found that these Muslims were not from Maharashtra. Most of them were from Bangladesh. They come via UP and Bihar because if you have to come from Bangladesh then you can't start from Kerala. You'll not see Hindu-Muslim riots taking place in a region where Maharashtrian Muslims reside.RS: In Azad Maidan, many media persons were attacked, OB vans were burnt down.Raj: You ask police- who were they? The Muslims from Maharashtra have their families living in the state, they have their jobs in the state, and there is no need for them to indulge in all this. He will never do this. Those, who come from outside, do all this.RS: So the solution is that the development in UP and Bihar is taken to a level from where they don't have to come here.Raj: Exactly..RS: Then why don't you ask big Maharshtrian industrialists to set up some industries in UP and Bihar?Raj: Tatas had gone to Jamshedpur in the past. But now the situation is such that no industrialist wants to go there because there are people who demand profit even before the industry is set up. Which industrialist will give that? Therefore, I believe that NarendraModi as PM should take care of these 3-4 states. Let him make these states better so that the burden on other states gets reduced and these clashes come to an end.RS: 19 years ago, I had done ‘Aap Ki Adalat' in the same Mumbai with Bala saheb Thackeray. The day that show was telecast, there was no traffic on the roads. Such was the popularity of that interview. When I went to Pakistan, people told me that they had watched Bal Thackeray show. The openness with which Bala saheb had answered questions, you are answering with same openness and I'm happy for that. This is 19 years old thing that I wanted to share with you. It's a very emotional thiong for me because I'm remembering those moments.You will agree with me that you have got the same persona like Bala Saheb Thackeray, you are also a cartoonist. You also answer the same way. You have got the same enthusiasm. You were inseparable part of the family. Till now People have not understood why you left the family? Raj: Why are you dragging me into flashback? Leaving a family is not a good thing. People normally don't believe politicians but I want you to believe this, I never thought of forming a party after leaving Shiv Sena. My wife is not here but she knows everything. Honestly speaking, I wanted to leave politics. I didn't want it. But the way people were coming to me, I got confused. I didn't know what to do? I thought I should take a tour of Maharashtra. The response I got encouraged me to form the political party. To start a political party when Bala Saheb was alive was not a joke. Name, flag..everything was to be decided. But my experience helped me and things fell in line one by one.My father and Bala Saheb were own brothers. My mother and Bala saheb's wife (Meena Tai) were own sisters. RS: I read that while doing the research. I was told when you were just 8-9 years old…Raj: When I was a kid, people tell me that he took me to Yerwada jail where he was lodged although I don't remember. He used to take me to all the rallies. May be I got all his traits that time.RS: He taught you how to walk, he cared for you whenever you used to get hurt, but you broke relations for forming a political party. Was it good?Raj: No, I didn't break the relations. I used to talk to him even after forming the political party?RS: But you hurt him.Raj: Did I get happiness? Hurt was on both sides.RS: Why did you do something that hurt both sides?Raj: Circumstances were such…what could I do? If such a situation arises…. I don't want even enemies to face such a situation. RS: I have heard stories, till 2011, whenever you went o meet Bala Saheb, he used to keep looking at you. He wanted you two brothers to get united. You should have paid attention to his sentiments.Raj: Respecting his sentiments and reality are two different things. I have always respected his sentiments and will keep doing that . There should be no doubt on that. But circumstances are different now.RS: Don't you think that workers of both Shiv Sena and MNS would want you brothers to join hands again?Raj: Who won't want this?RS: Perhaps you don't want this.Raj: No, even I want this. But you are missing the point that politics and family relationships are two different things. If you remember what I had said when Uddhav was admitted in the hospital….I don't want to say all that now…but I thought I should be there. I didn't care for political reactions.RS: But now when I hear your words… It was Gudi Parva… Mark your words… …You said, I will show Shiv Sena their aukat (capability)… Because of these unworthy people (Nalayakas) I had to leave Bala Saheb… such bitterness!Raj: This is the problem with you. You don't see things in entirety. You have the habit of taking either the first half or the last half. You don't see the entire picture. When ‘Saamnaa' newspaper went on to challenge my capability (Aukat), I replied by saying that I will show my ‘aukat'. It was an answer to what was written about Gadkari and me on the editorial page of ‘Saamnaa'. It was not that all of a sudden I got the idea of showing them my aukat (capability).RS: You said – dagger was stabbed (khanjar bhonk diya)Raj: That was said by him.RS: And then you replied?Raj: Of course… If you ask a question, I'll replyRS: Don't you think you guys are fighting like kids?Raj: No, I don't think so. If the truth comes out then you can't say that they are fighting like kids. This is not the way. You asked Modi in your programme that somebody called you a dog. What is that? Why did you ask? Somebody says Modi is a dog and you ask this question to Modi. Why did you ask that?RS: I think Modi didn't mind that but you sound more hurt by this.Raj: No, no.. You are asking questions this way…If I say something for the development of Maharashtra, It will not make news. If I abuse anyone, it becomes a headline.RS: The public would definitely want to know why Raj Thackeray is such an angry person. He gets angry on everything.Raj: I want that don't make me angry. Actually, I am not an angry person but yes, I get angry.RS: When asked, Uddhav said that it takes two to clap. Let Raj move slightly forward then I'll also move forward. Raj: Is it a train? What kind of attitude is this? That he moves forward and I move forward? If we have to talk then let's talk. For example, Nitin Gadkari and Gopinath Munde said that they wanted to meet me. It's Okay. They write in newspapers that one can't clap with one hand. Should I clap on the newspaper? RS: What should be done?Raj: Pick the phone and talk. If it's work out then fine. If not then let it be.RS: From political point of view, when Shiv Sena and MNS fight separately, it results in loss in elections.Raj: Why? When their people get elected, there is no loss. When they lose, it's loss? What kind of judgment is this? When their MPs get elected, there is no loss as If I have no political party in that place. When they lose, they say all this. RS: In last Lok Sabha elections, all seats in Mumbai were lost because you fought separately.Raj: Then they should stop contesting elections. I have a political party and I'll contest elections. If you analyse the voting trends then you will find that every year I get votes of new voters who attain the age of 18. If that was the case… at a place, Shiv Sena candidate was elected despite the fact that my candidate got more than 1.10 lakh votes. I read in newspapers that I was cutting into Congress-NCP votes. They don't feel bad there. They feel bad here.RS: Because here it hurts the most.Raj: Then they should get this treated. What should I do? RS: Sometimes, the person who gives the pain should offer the treatment.Raj: No…do I have a Jhandu factory? RS: But what I have understood from your statements is that no one needs to do anything. Just pick up the phone and talk, whoever wants to talk.Raj: When Bala Saheb was ill, we used to talk. Where was the need to tell a newspaper that I have extended the hand for clapping? That was just deliberately orchestrated. Pick the phone and talk. It was not serious. You can ask Gopinath Munde or Nitin Gadkari, after elections.RS: They are both in trouble after talking to you. Raj: What can I do now! Audience: I want to ask Raj, your uncle gave you quality education and helped you reach this level. He discharged the duties of an uncle. Can't you do the same thing to your nephew like your uncle did for you?Raj: If I have to repay the debt then I will definitely do that to Bala saheb. In my upbringing, apart from my uncle, my father, my mother and other members of the family also played a role. It doesn't happen from one side only.It was not that I had to show anything to anyone by forming a political party. If I'll say something then you'll say that why are you bringing out in public internal things? I can't make you understand if you don't know many things. I will dedicate everything That I will do for Maharashtra to Bala saheb. RS: People are concerned that you speak bitter things in elections. You said that why talk about things in the past. But it's you who talked about chicken soup and batata bada.Raj: See, I explain things in detail. It was not that Bala saheb was not getting food. When you said that I stabbed Bala Saheb in the back, I replied that when I took things to that person, he didn't feel like getting stabbed in the back. Then why are others saying that?RS: Now I got your pointAudience: I'm really inspired by you from your today's straightforward speech. Have you got this straightforward attitude since childhood or got it after joining politics?Raj: I think I was always like this only. (Concluded)