As if on cue, the MNS chief flashes the same ration card -- that of 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab and Osama Bin Laden -- that he had shown in Pune a few days ago. In addition, he shows a sheaf of papers with the names of bogus voters from Prateeksha Nagar. This evokes some laughter from the crowd. The MNS chief then lashes out at the crowd -- a trait reminiscent of his uncle Bal Thackeray's speaking style -- for applauding him showing the bogus ration cards.
"You continue laughing like jokers and these outsiders will overwhelm you numerically soon," Raj chides the audience that holds its breath for the next 20 minutes, not knowing how to respond to what their Marathi Hridaysamrat is saying.
Raj, in his characteristic acerbic style, then turns his attention to the Shiv Sena. The Sena, he declares, did not do much for the Marathi people when it ruled the state in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party from 1995 to 1999, a time when he was one of the Sena's key leaders. "And now that we have started building our roots in the hearts of the Marathi people they are saying that they were the first ones to raise the issues," he adds.
He also targets the Sena-BJP alliance in the state, saying they criticise the Congress government for not hanging Afzal Guru, the accused in the December 13, 2001 attack on Parliament, but points out that their lackadaisical approach to security allowed the terrorists to enter Parliament.
Image: Supporters turned up in huge numbers to hear Raj Thackeray.
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