Hitting back at his nephew Raj Thackeray for raising a banner of revolt against his son and Shiv Sena Executive President Uddhav, Sena supremo Bal Thackeray on Tuesday said the organisation was not anybody's private property.
"Those who live in the shadow of the Himalaya should not think that they are bigger than the mountain," Thackeray said in party mouthpiece Saamna in his first reaction on Raj's stepping down from the Shiv Sena post following differences with Uddhav.
Raj, who quit as the chief of Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena, creating a crisis in the 39-year-old party, had also launched a scathing attack on Sena Chief's son Uddhav, saying that the party was being run by a quartet of clerks.
In his editorial, Thackeray also referred to the show of strength by Raj supporters in Mumbai on November 27 and the damage done to Sena MP and Saamna editor Sanjay Raut's vehicle.
"This 'josh' (passion) is missing whenever the Sena is in a crisis or when the opponents attack the party. We would have
appreciated, had this 'josh' being shown against (Congress nominee) Narayan Rane in the recent Malwan assembly bypoll," he added.
Raj Thackeray quits Shiv Sena posts
"Everyone who stabs the Sena in the back should ponder over where they would have been had it not been for the Sena," Thackeray said.
Supporters of Uddhav have said that Raj enjoyed 'cordial' relationship with Rane, former Sena leader and had thus kept away from the poll campaign by addressing just one public meeting whereas the entire Sena leadership was camping in Malwan for around 10 days.
Drawing a historical parallel to the present crisis in Sena by referring to Maratha warrior king Shivaji's life, Thackeray said, "Even Shivaji Maharaj had been worried whether his kingdom would last amid the family crisis."