'Not afraid of empty threats’: Sanjay Raut’s ‘can shut Mumbai in 10 minutes’ remark sparks row; Devendra Fadnavis responds

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Sunday sparked a controversy by claiming his party's biggest achievement is that it can "shut down Mumbai in 10 minutes even today". Taking a swipe at Raut, CM Devendra Fadnavis said he cannot even shut down the area around his house. He asserted that BJP is not afraid of such empty threats.

"The Thackerays will never be finished. We have lost elections... There are victories and defeats in elections. Our organisation is strong. Even today, we can shut down Mumbai in 10 minutes. This is our biggest achievement. If Thackeray survives, Marathi people and Mumbai will survive. Everyone knows this. Devendra Fadnavis also knows this. Vinod Tawde (former minister and BJP neta) also knows this," Raut said in a TV interview.




Pooh-poohing Raut's claims of dominance, Fadnavis said, "You (UBT) had claimed that when Eknath Shinde went to Guwahati (after breaking off from Uddhav Thackeray), he would not be allowed to set foot in Mumbai... Shinde still came to Mumbai, with 50 MLAs. Shinde and I went to Raj Bhavan through the streets of Mumbai. After that, we formed govt. All this (Raut's claims) is just talk."

The CM acknowledged "Mumbai could be shut down in two hours on a single signal from [the late Shiv Sena founder] Balasaheb Thackeray". "Now, there is no strength in them (UBT). Sanjay Raut just talks like this all day long."