Raj Thackeray cuts birthday cake with Asaduddin Owaisi’s image

MNS chief Raj Thackeray, during his birthday celebrations, on Tuesday cut a cake with the image of AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi. Mr Thackeray had targeted Mr Owaisi earlier this year over the latter’s refusal to chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai. Mr Owaisi said he would maintain this stand even if a knife were put to his throat. In response to this statement, Mr Thackeray had said, “Come to Maharashtra. I will put a knife to your throat.”

This is not the first time Mr Thackeray has adopted such means to make a point. In 2008, he cut a cake with the word ‘Bhaiyya’ — a colloquialism for north Indians from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar — inscribed on it. Mr Thackeray, back then, had taken a stand against north Indian migrants and labourers who come to Mumbai in search of jobs.

Defending his chief’s act, MNS leader Shishir Shinde asked what wrong had Mr Thackeray done by cutting the cake with Mr Owaisi’s image. “Rajsaheb has done the right thing. Owaisi is an anti-national person. He wants to break up Maharashtra and disturb the people here,” Mr Shinde said.

However, AIMIM MLA Waris Pathan refused to comment on the issue. “I do not want to comment on a cheap, frivolous publicity stunt,” Mr Pathan said. The MLA has been suspended from the state legislature for not chanting ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ during a debate on the issue.

Mr Thackeray celebrated his birthday with his party workers in a low-key affair at his residence in Shivaji Park, central Mumbai.