Uddhav: Won't allow Mumbai to be separated from Maharashtra

Alleging the UPA government was conspiring to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra, Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray tonight said his party would oppose such a move and continue to take to the streets to fight and keep the state undivided.

"On the lines of a separate Vidarbha, Congress government at the Centre is planning to carve out a separate Mumbai state aligning the metropolis with neighbouring Thane and Raigad," he said here, adding the Sena would fight tooth and nail against the design to weaken and factionalise Maharashtra.

Thackeray who was speaking during his public interview by noted compere Sudhir Gadgil at S P College ground here, said his party's stand against creation of separate Vidarbha was firm and undiluted despite the contrary view of its ally BJP on the issue.  Thackeray alleged that Congress-led UPA was planning to create a separate Mumbai state as the region generated maximum tax collection.

Thackeray described AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi's mixing with common people during yesterday's Mumbai visit as 'bakwas (nonsense)' and denied the Sena protest against him was a flop. 

"Why did he change the route if he was not scared?" he asked.  The Sena leader also debunked Information Minister Ambika Soni's reported statement that defamatory articles published in party mouthpiece 'Saamna' would be screened for necessary action.

"I do not care. I am happy to know that she reads 'Saamna'. It is my wish that she should purchase the copy," he quipped.  On Shahrukh Khan's new release "My Name Is Khan" and the controversy surrounding it, Thackeray remained ambiguous in his reply.  He referred to an introductory speech made earlier by a speaker who praised his (Uddhav's) "talent, broadmindedness and aggression" on the occasion and ended the topic saying "My name is Thackeray".  Earlier, police detained about 30 Congress activists who had gathered near the venue holding black flags to protest against the Sena leader before start of the function. PTI