Mumbai: The Shiv Sena on Friday said it had never used Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj or late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's name for political gain.
The party made certain observations in an editorial in its mouthpiece 'Saamana' about gangster Karam Lala, saying he once headed an organisation of the Pathan community and drew inspiration from Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, who is also called Frontier Gandhi.
The leading constituent in Maharashtra's ruling coalition said it had always respected Indira Gandhi, who it said, had a towering and strong personality.
Whenever there were attempts to malign her image, the Shiv Sena acted as a shield. She was a powerful leader who split Pakistan and avenged Partition, the Marathi daily said.
The paper expressed surprise that those who want to erase Gandhis memories permanently are worried about her image now.
The editorial comes in the backdrop of a controversial statement by Sanjay Raut, the executive editor of 'Saamana'.
On Wednesday, Raut said in Pune that Indira Gandhi used to meet Lala during Mumbai visits, drawing sharp reaction from the Congress, which is also a part of the Shiv Sena-led government. On Thursday, Raut withdrew his comment.
The opposition BJP latched on Raut's comment to embarrass the Congress with the former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis wondering whether the party was "funded by Mumbai's underworld".
Fadnavis also questioned if (at that time) it was the beginning of "criminalisation of politics" in the state, and if the Congress "supported" those who attacked Mumbai.
In another controversial statement, Raut had asked former MP and BJP leader Udayanraje Bhosale to give proof that he is a descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
