Mumbai: Scuffle breaks out between Uddhav, Shinde group supporters at Shivaji Park

Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray

A scuffle broke out between supporters of Shiv Sena factions led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray at Shivaji Park in Mumbai on Thursday.

The scuffle erupted after Eknath Shinde visited the memorial at the park for Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray and paid tribute to him. Shinde's visit to the memorial came a day before Thackeray's 11th death anniversary.

The supporters of both factions chanted slogans against each other. After the scuffle broke out, the police intervened and dispersed the crowd.

Meanwhile, Eknath Shinde took a jibe at Uddhav on Thursday, saying how he can take Lord Ram's name after tying up with those who are "supporters of Ravan". He was responding to Uddhav Thackeray's letter to the Election Commission on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah allegedly using religion in their election campaigns.

"After tying up with Ravan, how can he (Uddhav Thackeray) take Ram's name?" said CM Shinde while speaking to reporters after visiting Kasarwadi sanitation workers colony in Dadar West.

He said that the INDIA bloc, the pre-poll opposition alliance that has been formed to take on the Modi juggernaut in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, has tied up with the supporters of Ravan.

"The INDIA bloc had tied up with those who are supporters of Ravan. So they should not even take Ram's name," he said.

Shinde even claimed that if Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray had been alive, he would have thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"Ram Mandir is the dream of crores of Ram bhakts; it was also the dream of Balasaheb Thackeray. Today, Modi is fulfilling it. We should thank him. If Balasaheb Thackeray had been alive, he would have thanked Modi," the Chief Minister said.