After Shiv Sena leader Neelam Gorhe created a stir in New Delhi with her comments against Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray or UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday wrote an open letter to the organisers of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal (‘all India Marathi literary committee’ or ABMSM), where Ms. Gorhe had spoken.
Referring to the literary conference, which concluded on Sunday in Delhi, Mr. Raut in his open letter addressed to Usha Tambe, president of the ABMSM, criticised the conference as the topics of the seminars were not literary in nature.
“The conference was organised under the pressure of a certain political ideology. This doesn’t suit the tradition of the Sahitya Mahamandal. A few conveners directly misused the platform for political purposes. Will the literary committee take responsibility for accusations made by guests against their political opponents?” he said.
Mr. Raut added that Ms. Gorhe had made objectional statements against Mr. Uddhav Thackeray.
During a seminar on ‘Amhi Kase Ghadlo’ (‘how we were conditioned’) at the 98th ABMSM, Ms. Gorhe spoke of how she had joined Eknath Shinde’s party when the hitherto undivided Shiv Sena was split, and said that workers from Thane “took care of” political events taking place in Mumbai. She went on to say that all appointments in the party before the split were given only to those who could pay for it. “For two Mercedes, you get one post,” Ms. Gorhe said..
Mr. Raut slammed the literary committee and asked if the platform had been created for political mudslinging. “Does the current committee approve this? If not, then the committee should apologise immediately,” he added.
“While speaking to media outside the Talkatora ground, Neelam Gorhe said that she participated in the programme by paying ₹50 lakh to the members of the committee, and gifted a Mercedes car to Usha Tambe to organise the programme. Whether this is true or not, I have no idea, but the committee’s reputation is damaged, as people are discussing that the committee has been corrupted, and this is worrisome,” Mr. Raut said in his letter.
Outrage in Maharashtra
While speaking to media in Mumbai, Mr. Uddhav Thackeray preferred to not comment on Ms. Gorhe. “What to say about gaye gujrelog (unimportant people),” he said.
Mr. Raut hit out at Ms. Gorhe sarcastically and asked her to provide the bills for the eight Mercedes she had ostensibly given to the party on being appointed as Member of Legislative Council (MLC) for four terms.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Sushma Andhare and Kishori Pednekar also lashed out at Ms. Gorhe. Ms. Andhare asked Ms. Gorhe to calculate her own earnings during her tenure and disclose the profits she had made.
Party workers protested outside Ms. Gorhe’s house in Pune.
Later, Ms. Gorhe clarified that her statement had been based on general observations.
Ms. Tambe also refuted claims of having received gifts and explained that Ms. Gorhe’s segment was candid, and the questions asked and answers provided were not in the hands of the organisers.
