Rahul Gandhi to take on Sena, visit Mumbai

Under attack from Shiv Sena for saying Mumbai is for all Indians, Rahul Gandhi is going ahead as planned for a visit to Mumbai on Friday.

He is scheduled to interact with students and youth. Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray has questioned the timing of the visit. There are reports that Sena activists may demonstrate against Rahul, and may even disrupt his programmes in the city.

Though there is a Congress government in the State, Chief Minister Ashok Chavan seems politically paralyzed and afraid to take any strong action against the Shiv Sena and MNS activists of Raj Thackeray.

Uddhav Thackeray had said, “What was the need for this visit now. There may be elections in Bihar, but we will not tolerate anything spoken against Mumbai and ‘Marathi pride’.

Ticking off the Shiv Sena over the migrant issue, Rahul Gandhi had asserted that India was for all Indians and people have a right to go anywhere.

Rahul, during his short visit, will interact with college students at the Bhaidas Hall in suburban Vile Parle and then proceed to Ramabai Nagar slum colony in Ghatkopar to meet the youth, Mumbai Youth Congress president Sunil Ahire said. The visit is a part of the ongoing Mumbai Youth Congress membership drive.

Meanwhile, Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan has stuck to his stand of inclusion of Pakistani cricketers in the Indian Premier League, saying he has said nothing on the issue that should be retracted.

"What should I retract?," an unfazed Khan asked reporters when asked about the strong Shiv Sena reaction to his remarks. Khan said he would not submit to this threat. Shiv Sena has demanded an apology from him on the issue.

"I don't know what the issue is all about... I don't know what I am supposed to retract. Am I supposed to retract the fact I'm an Indian but I don't want anyone to come to my country?," he said in a London hotel on Thursday.

Shahrukh Khan, who was addressing a press conference along with Director Karan Johar and actress Kajol to promote their film 'My Name is Khan', said: "What I've said is that I would like people to come to my country to participate in the biggest event and it scares me to say anything because our stakes are very high."

However, he added: "I am really sorry. I would like to apologise to Karan Johar, to Kajol and I am immensely sorry to all our business partners that because of what I said, or what I believe in, their film and their work is going to be affected. "

- Asian Tribune -