Raj Thackeray catches Congress' eye; party says 'BJP has taken MNS engine on rent'

Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant on Monday hit out at Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navanirman Sena (MNS) over their changing policies. Taking to Twitter, the Congress leader asserted that the party's stance and flags are bound to change if "politics turns into business." According to him, the BJP has taken over MNS. However, he said that they will fail. 

MNS launches new 'Saffron' Flag

Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), launched its new 'Saffron' party flag on January 23. The flag has 'Raj Mudra' (stamps) which were used during Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's rule. While addressing a rally at NESCO Centre in Mumbai last month, he had asserted to the party workers that "Do not use this flag during elections. Raj Mudra is an inspiration. It should not be disrespected in any way."

Read: As non-BJP states pass anti-CAA resolutions, Gujarat CM Rupani enacts 'befitting reply'

MNS' pro-NRC rally

Recently, the MNS party carried out a pro-NRC rally where thousands of MNS supporters waved its saffron flag while marching from Girgaum Chowpatty to Azad Maidan. They had put up posters that said 'infiltrators are not my brothers and sisters' and 'India is not for Pakistani and Bangladeshi infiltrators'. Thackeray who gained fame for his party's 'Marathi manoos' stance, has now taken a larger national stance against migration. At his Maha Adhiveshan rally on January 23, Raj Thackeray had accepted that there could be a debate on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) but he chose to focus on the 'remove infiltrators' pitch. 

Read: Raj Thackeray backs CAA at MNS rally, questions ‘why admit Muslims from Pakistan?

Backing the CAA, the MNS chief had said that the minorities in the three countries who were being persecuted were Hindus. Quashing the need to accept Muslims being persecuted in Pakistan, he stated that 'India is not anyone's Dharamshala'.

Read: Union Minister Ramdas Athawale urges CM Uddhav Thackeray to implement CAA in Maharashtra

Read: 'Degree hai, job nahi': Congress workers fry Pakoda to protest against unemployment in WB