BJP leader K. Annamalai responded strongly on Monday to criticism from Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, accusing them of organizing meetings solely to insult and abuse him.
Speaking to reporters in Chennai, Annamalai said, “I am a proud son of a farmer; who are Raj Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray to threaten me? I am not even aware that I have become this big.”
The controversy began when Raj Thackeray criticized Annamalai as an outsider interfering in Mumbai’s civic matters, even referring to him as “rasmalai” and invoking a 1960s Shiv Sena slogan against South Indians: “Hatao lungi bajao pungi” (Remove the lungi-wearing persons, blow the bugle).
Annamalai Defends His Remarks
Annamalai dismissed these remarks as ignorance, arguing that acknowledging Mumbai as an international city does not diminish the contribution of Maharashtrians. “If I say Kamaraj was a great leader, does that mean he is not Tamilian? Similarly, calling Mumbai an international city does not ignore the work of Maharashtrians,” he said.
The BJP leader had visited Mumbai last week to campaign for his party’s candidates in Tamil-dominated areas ahead of the civic elections on January 15. During a rally, he highlighted the need for a “triple-engine government” in Maharashtra, including a BJP mayor in Mumbai.
Threats and Political Reactions
Annamalai also revealed that he has received written threats but remains undeterred, saying, “Some people have threatened to cut my legs. I do not fear them. I will come again.”
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis defended his colleague, stating that Annamalai’s remarks were not meant to offend anyone. “It is true that Mumbai is an international city. His statement should not be taken seriously. The Opposition is exaggerating, treating Annamalai as if he is the Prime Minister,” Fadnavis added.
The spat highlights the growing tensions ahead of the Mumbai civic elections, reflecting the political sensitivity surrounding regional identity and the city’s cosmopolitan character.
