Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray today criticised the government for keeping a watch on the media. Referring to the Emergency, he appealed to the media to keep its attack on the system and destroy the emergency.

Thackeray said, "One now hears whether a second Emergency is stealthily coming through the backdoor. Earlier the media kept a watch on the government. Now the government is keeping a watch on the media. Media is the fourth pillar of democracy, but the situation makes one feel whether this pillar is wobbling or what?"

He was speaking at a media awards function held at Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh.

Thackeray said that people are supreme in a democracy. "People now meekly remark that times are difficult now. The pen is akin to a sword and those in power are clever enough to make it rusty by sprinkling fake concern. Once the pen gathers rust then how can one use it to write anything?"

Thackeray also stated that coining phrases and catchy slogans has damaged the nation. He was referring to Jawaharlal Nehru's slogan of uprooting corruption and hanging the corrupt once the government comes to power.

"Since then there is this fashion of making catchy slogans or phrases like "Garibi Hatao" and "Acche Din". This Jumlebazi has damaged the country. Is it possible to give housing for all by 2022 and doubling of farm income?"

Thackeray came down on NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor without naming them for stirring controversy over head gears. He named Lokmanya Tilak, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Gopal Ganesh Agarkar as idols who wore different head gears.

"We don't pay attention to the size of our head but we want to wear head gear they used to wear in a show of public display. Don't play politics over head gear. First try to achieve what Lokmanya Tilak managed to accomplish through his pen."

Pawar had refused to wear a pagadi symbolic to Tilak's Brahminical attire in Pune last month. He had asked the NCP workers to wear Phule's pagadi instead as it symbolises the socially backward castes.

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