Thackeray apologises over cartoon row

In a major climbdown, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray yesterday apologised for a cartoon which was interpreted as ridiculing the Maratha community.The controversial cartoon, which took a swipe at the ongoing month-long agitations and huge protest marches by the Maratha community, appeared in the September 25 editions of Saamana and Dopahar Ka Saamana, newspapers run by the party.Thackeray’s apology came after cartoonist Shreenivas Prabhudesai apologised for the cartoon, which had unleashed a wave of anger and protests among the powerful Maratha community of the state.“Although the cartoon was not targeted at any community, if it has hurt the sentiments of any person, my (Maratha) mothers and sisters, I apologise for it,” Thackeray said.He also said he was apologising as the son of the late Sena founder-patriarch Bal Thackeray, as the president of the party and as the editor of the party’s publications.“Though the storm over the cartoon has passed, the surge in my mind has not yet ebbed. So, I am apologising,” Thackeray said.He said there was no intention to hurt anybody’s sentiments, but rued that even after the controversy died down, a conspiracy continued to “finish off the Sena and Saamana” from different quarters.Thackeray also officially denied speculation that several of his party MPs and MLAs belonging to the Maratha community had resigned or threatened to quit.The Sena chief said he had met and discussed the issue of Maratha reservations with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.