PM Modi wishes Bal Thackeray on 91st birth anniversary

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], Jan 23 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid homage to Shiv Sena's founder Bal Thackeray on his 91st birth anniversary.

"Remembering Balasaheb Thackeray on his birth anniversary. He will always be remembered as a brave leader who worked tirelessly towards fulfilling the aspirations of people," said Prime Minister Modi.

Remembering Balasaheb Thackeray on his birth anniversary. He will always be remembered as a brave leader who worked tirelessly towards fulfilling the aspirations of people.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 23, 2018

Thackeray, who had been an influential figure in Maharashtra, began his professional career as a cartoonist with the English language daily 'The Free Press Journal' in Mumbai, but left it in 1960 to form his own political weekly 'Marmik'.

His political philosophy was largely shaped by his father Keshav Sitaram Thackeray, a leading figure in the Samyukta Maharashtra (United Maharashtra) movement, which advocated the creation of a separate semantic state.

Through Marmik, Thackeray campaigned against the growing influence of non-Marathis in Mumbai. In 1966, Thackeray formed the Shiv Sena party to fight for the interests of Maharashtrians in Mumbai's political and professional landscape. (ANI)