Shiv Sena not Hindutvavadi, pretends to be one: VHP
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Tuesday said that Shiv Sena was never a Hindutvavadi outfit and was pretending to be one only for political gains. Bal Thackeray himself was clueless about his party workers bringing portions of the mosque down in Ayodhya, said VHP. "You don't become Hindutvavadi by merely chanting Chhatrapati Shivaji's name," it added. 
gains: VHP New Delhi, Feb 21 (PTI) The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) today said NDA constituent Shiv Sena was never a Hindutvavadi outfit and was pretending to be one only for political gains. Speaking to reporters here, VHP joint general secretary Surendra Jain said that merely chanting King Shivajis name does not make Shiv Sena a Hindutvavadi (one championing the Hindutva cause) party. "I dont think Shiv Sena was ever a Hindutvavadi organisation. It is the media which gave this tag to Shiv Sena after Babri mosque was demolished," Jain said. "It is pretending to be a Hindutuvavadi organisation for political gains," he added. His remark comes against the backdrop of stinging verbal exchanges between long-standing allies Shiv Sena and BJP leaders ahead of Maharashtra civic polls, voting for which was held today. Seeking to buttress his claim, the VHP leader stated late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray himself was "clueless" about his party workers bringing portions of the mosque down in Uttar Pradeshs Ayodhya in 1992. "He (Thackeray) himself had said he had no clue about it. But he said he was a proud man if his party men demolished the mosque. That one statement made them Hindutva champion...you dont become Hindutvavadi by merely chanting Chhatrapati Shivajis name," Jain claimed. Apparently referring to Shiv Senas sons-of-the-soil campaign in Maharashtra, particularly Mumbai, Jain said the party is rather a "fissiparous" force, which targeted its own Hindu brothers from south and north India for "narrow benefits" and does not understand broad concepts of Hindutva. "When they talk about Hindutva...are Hindus from Tamil Nadu not Hindus? Whether Hindus from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are not Hindus? Even today, they are beaten there (in Mumbai). 