An unidentified person attempted to deface the statue of the late Meenatai Thackeray, wife of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray, by throwing red paint on it at Shivaji Park in Dadar on Monday morning. The incident is believed to have occurred between 6:00 am and 6:30 am.
Following the incident, Uddhav Thackeray, chief of Shiv Sena (UBT), visited the site and expressed strong condemnation. Speaking to the media, he described the act as “extremely reprehensible” and suggested that such incidents may be aimed at creating unrest in Maharashtra. Thackeray further speculated that the act might have been carried out either by “destitute individuals ashamed to even speak their parents’ names” or by elements attempting to instigate violence, drawing parallels to protests in Bihar following the insult of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mother.
He urged citizens to remain calm and assured that the police are investigating the matter. “Our sentiments are strong. We have appealed to everyone to remain peaceful. The police are searching for the culprits and have assured us they will be found. Let’s see what happens next,” he said.
Later in the day, Raj Thackeray, president of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), visited the site and gathered details from local police. He questioned whether the CCTV cameras in the area were functional and instructed the police to review all footage and trace the accused within 24 hours.
The incident coincided with the birth anniversary of Prabodhankar Thackeray. Several Shiv Sainiks gathered at the site and removed the red paint from the statue.
Police confirmed that the paint was removed and the area was cleaned by volunteers. Investigations are ongoing, and CCTV footage is being examined to identify the individual responsible.
