Raj Thackeray recalls Balasaheb's abuse in Sanjay Raut interview at launch of 'Bodh Kirtan'

The launch of 'Bodh Kirtan', a book by Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, was held in Mumbai recently. MNS president Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena party chief Uddhav Thackeray were present. On the occasion, Raj Thackeray revisited old memories with Raut.

Speaking at the event, Raj Thackeray narrated an anecdote about an old interview of Balasaheb Thackeray. He also praised Raut's courage as a journalist.

Raj Thackeray said his association with Raut goes back a long way. According to him, Dilip Thakur and Raut used to sit with his father for hours. He said both had also taken abuse from his father. He said Raut first dealt with his father and only afterwards with Balasaheb Thackeray.

Raj Thackeray said that between 1986 and 1988 he drew cartoons for 'Marmik'. At that time Raut worked at 'Lokprabha' and was known for writing stories on gang wars. During this period Raut expressed a wish to interview Balasaheb Thackeray for 'Lokprabha' and asked Raj Thackeray about it. Raj Thackeray helped him with the interview.

As Raj Thackeray recounted, during the interview Raut asked Balasaheb some awkward questions, at which Balasaheb abused him roundly. Notably, Raut did not remove the abuse when he printed the interview.

Raj Thackeray also said that after the interview was published with the abuse intact, Balasaheb remarked of Raut, 'The man has guts.' According to Raj Thackeray, in 1992 he told Balasaheb that Raut writes well. He recalled that Raut became editor of 'Saamana' the same year.

Raj Thackeray ended his speech with a quip. He said, 'I never thought the journey that began with Bodhankar would come to Bodh Kirtan.'