Raj Thackeray snubs ‘peacenik’ Nana Patekar

A year ago, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray visited actor Nana Patekar’s Ganpati at his home. But now, Thackeray seems to have drawn a line in their ties by warning Patekar not to poke his nose in things not in his domain.

At a programme organised by MNS leader Shirish Parkar at Vile Parle on Tuesday, Patekar had asked the estranged Thackeray cousins to unite for the betterment of Marathi manoos. “Shiv Sena was of great support for Marathi manoos. But family disputes became public and division took place. But think about us, and try to unite for us,” Patekar had said.

This, however, did not go down well with the MNS chief. “Nana should not poke his nose in these things. He is a good actor. But one should not speak of things one does not have any knowledge of,” slammed Thackeray on Wednesday.

He further went on to say that Marathi manoos knows what is good and bad. “There is no need to teach Marathi manoos who works for him and who does not. He is capable of understanding that,” added the MNS chief.

Patekar shares friendly relations with the Thackeray family and has always campaigned for the rights of the son of the soil. He had even attended the protest march organised by mill workers to press for their demand for housing.

There have been attempts to unite the Thackeray cousins in the past as well. A group of senior Shiv sainiks had carried out a campaign throughout the city with the said demand. However, both the brothers have already denied the possibility of joining hands once again.