Uddhav vows to break Nirupam’s teeth if he tried to bring Mumbai to a stop

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections are some months away. And Sanjay Nirupam, Congress MP from North Mumbai, has already drawn blood by saying North Indians can bring Mumbai to a standstill if they want to.

The Shiv Sena, which has always believed the issue of North Indian versus the Marathi Manoos (son of the soil) is its fief, roared in anger on Monday, a day after Nirupam had made the comment in Nagpur. Uddhav Thackeray, the Sena executive president, flashed shades of his father’s oratory skills when he warned Nirupam. “Just you dare to bring Mumbai to a stop… we will break your teeth and stuff them in your mouth,” he said during a press meeting at the mayor’s bungalow in Dadar. 

Nirupam, who was himself a Shiv Sainik before joining the Congress, had said North Indians are not a burden on the city, they carry the burden of Mumbai on their shoulders. 

“When Bal Thackeray talked about attempts to take Mumbai out of Maharashtra, people ridiculed him,” Uddhav said. “But Nirupam's comments indicate exactly that. Anyway, he is of no use. He should realise that North Indians in Mumbai are not his private property.” He said Marathi leaders within the Congress should clarify their stand on Nirupam’s comments. He even dared deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who is known to speak his mind, to condemn Nirupam for his comments.