10 Rarely Known Facts About Shiv Sena Founder Bal Thackeray

Bal Thackeray’s second son Jaidev withdraws case challenging father’s Will, years after fighting the case in the Bombay High Court.

Bal Keshav Thackeray was an Indian politician who founded the Shiv Sena, a Hindu right-wing Marathi ethnocentric party. He was born on 19th June 1926 in Pune at Bombay Presidency. He was the eldest of nine siblings and his political philosophy was largely shaped by his father Keshav Sitaram Thackeray, a leading figure in the Samyukta Maharashtra movement, which advocated the creation of a separate linguistic state.

There is a lot to write about him and no doubt a lot of it is written on him through books. There is also a film coming on him named ‘Thackeray The Film’ in Hindi, starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui in a prominent role. It is a drama directed by Abhijit Panse.

He began to be known as Hindu Hruday Samrat which means Emperor of the Hindu hearts and was given a public funeral which was the first in Mumbai after Bal Gangadhar Tilak’s funeral in 1920.

Let’s move on to the facts about Shiv Sena Founder Bal Thackeray which are less known:

1. Thackeray had a third son Bindumadhav who died in a car crash in 1996.

Picture From Bindumadhav Thackeray’s Funeral Cremation

2. Balasaheb was initially a cartoonist with The Free Press Journal in Mumbai but due to differences with management he quit.

Archival photograph from Raj Thackeray’s book on Bal Thackeray showing him sketching a cartoon

3. He fought for the cause of Sanjay Dutt related to TADA case and gave him clean chit. As actor-turned-politician late Sunil Dutt kept his promise of not contesting Lok Sabha elections against Sena and twice he opted out of the poll arena after seeking help for his son Sanjay in the Mumbai blast case.

Sanjay Dutt, Bollywood actor greets Shiv Sena Chief Mr. Balasaheb Thackeray

4. Although anti-congress later in his life, he applauded Indira Gandhi on her effort to free Bangladesh and considers her the best Prime Minister.

Indira Gandhi with Bal Thackeray, greeting eachother.

5. Bal Thackeray once criticized the proposal to have a 22-crore throne for Shirdi Sai Baba. He suggested the amount be used for charity instead.

Thackeray on throne

6. He coined the term Remote Control in politics for the first time when Shivsena-BJP was in power in Maharashra from 1995-1999.

Bal Thackeray holding the glass of Alcohol

7. Yanda Gundu a derogatory term for South Indians was popularized by Thackeray.

Thackeray addressing supporters

8. He openly admired Adolf Hitler and was an anti-communist

Balasaheb Thackeray smoking a cigar

9. Bal Thackeray gifted Amitabh Bachchan with a cartoon with the name ‘Defeating Yamraaj’ when he was recovering from the Coolie Injury.

Amitabh Bachchan and Balasaheb Thackeray

10. On July 28, 1999 Thackeray was banned from voting and contesting in any election for six years from December 11, 1999 till December 10, 2005 on the recommendations of the Election Commission.

Shiv Sena Supremo Balasaheb Thackeray at polling booth voting for Mumbai BMC Elections.
Rutuja Nagwekar: Rutuja Nagwekar is a Post graduate to be with the experience in marketing for Zee Media and Web content. A disciplined and pragmatic individual which believes in ‘We’ rather than ‘I’ and is an excellent team worker. Enhanced communication and inter personal skills which she have acquired through her long period of association with the performing theatre group and experimental films which have given her the adaptability and flexibility skills to work in any environment.
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