Nitin Gadkari said that he has good relations with Raj Thackeray and his family members. (file)
Mumbai:
Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Sunday met Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray at his Mumbai residence and called it a family meeting, denying anything political was behind the meeting.
Speaking to reporters after this meeting, Mr Gadkari pointed to his old ties with the MNS chief’s family and said that he had come to their house on their invitation.
“It was not a political meeting. I have had good relations with Raj Thackeray and his family members for over 30 years. I had come to see his new home and inquire about his mother’s condition. It was a family visit, not a political one,” Mr. Gadkari said.
Notably, a day after the meeting Mr Thackeray asked the Maharashtra government to remove loudspeakers from mosques and warned of “put loudspeakers in front of mosques and play Hanuman Chalisa”.
Addressing party workers in Mumbai, Mr. Thackeray had said, “I am not against namaz, you can offer namaz at your home, but the government should decide to remove the loudspeakers of the mosque. I am just warning Am… Remove the loudspeaker or else put a loudspeaker in front of the mosque and play Hanuman Chalisa.”
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)