Maharashtra minister Aaditya Thackeray on Thursday, 16 January, said that Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray had immense respect for Indira Gandhi and claimed that party leader Sanjay Raut's controversial statements on the former prime minister were taken out of context.
Raut, a Shiv Sena MP, on Wednesday set-off a political storm with his remarks that Gandhi had met gangster Karim Lala in Mumbai.
"Kareem Lalaji was a Pathan leader. What he became later is unknown to me. It was Rautji’s observation about a meeting, but the issue is over now, Thackeray said, seeking to put an end of the controversy after Raut withdrew the remarks.
As the Congress, part of the ruling coalition, took strong objection to the controversial comments, calling them "ill-informed", Raut on Thursday withdrew the remarks.
“Our friends from Congress need not feel hurt. If someone feels that my statement has hurt the image of Indira Gandhi ji or hurt someone’s feelings, I take back my statement.”Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut