Shiv Sena leader Neelam Gorhe’s claim on allotment of posts in the erstwhile undivided Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray after gifting Mercedes cars has caused a row and raised questions over the use of the Marathi literary meet’s platform for political mudslinging.
Thackeray, who heads Sena (UBT), mocked Gorhe, the deputy chairperson of the Maharashtra Legislative Council, over her claim.
“Show me where those cars are. These individuals are politically irrelevant to me, and I do not wish to comment further. She is a woman, and out of respect, I prefer not to say anything more about it,” he told reporters on Sunday.
As the row escalated, Gorhe said her comment was in response to a specific question.
“I didn’t say those words on my own,” she told a news channel.
Gorhe claimed on Saturday that posts in the undivided Sena were obtained through corrupt means, including gifting of Mercedes cars.
The comments, made at the 98th All India Marathi Literary Meet in Delhi, drew sharp criticism from Shiv Sena (UBT) which came into existence following a split in original Shiv Sena.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut demanded an explanation from Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal, the organisers, over the appropriateness of political comments at the literary gathering. He wondered whether the event was held under some political pressure.
“If what Gorhe said was true, then there would have been a line of Mercedes cars at Matoshree (Uddhav Thackeray’s residence),” Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Ambadas Danve, told reporters.
He said the party facilitated his rise from an ordinary worker in Marathwada and never asked him a single rupee.
“Gorhe only filled forms for four terms (as MLC when she was a member of the undivided Sena),” he alleged.
Danve’s party colleague, Sushma Andhare, said Gorhe should disclose how much she benefitted from her three-decade-long association with the undivided Shiv Sena.
“She had held significant influence over appointments when she was in undivided Sena. Going by her claim of corruption, she should account for her earnings during her tenure,” Andhare said.
Gorhe had switched her allegiance to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena after the undivided Sena split in June 2022.
Raut demanded an explanation from the organisers of the Marathi literary meet.
In a letter to Usha Tambe, chairperson of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal, Raut said, “Numerous topics discussed at the 98th Literary Meet were unrelated to literature. It appears that the event was held under some political pressure. The platform of the Sahitya Mahamandal was grossly misused”.
Raut claimed Gorhe had also said that she paid Rs 50 lakh to participate in the event and gifted a Mercedes car to Tambe.
“I cannot ascertain the truth of this claim, but such comments tarnish the reputation of the Mahamandal,” he stated and demanded an apology “if the event was not organised with proper approval”.
Amid the controversy, Shiv Sena (UBT) workers staged a protest outside Gorhe’s residence in Pune on Sunday.
They raised slogans and demanded that Gorhe apologise to Uddhav Thackeray.
“She got several posts from Thackeray, but once she changed her allegiance, Gorhe has forgotten everything. She used to ask many of us to do her work, but we never complained. However, we do not accept such unfounded claims of Gorhe against Thackeray,” a protester said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
