Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut has on Thursday clarified that the demand to rename Karachi Sweets, a sweet shop in Bandra, is not the party's official stance.
Taking to Twitter, Raut said that the sweets shop is in Mumbai for the last 60 years and has nothing to do with Pakistan. "Karachi bakery and karachi sweets have been in mumbai since last 60 years. They have nothing to do with Pakistan . It makes no sense to ask for changing their names now.Demand for changing their name is not shivsena's official stance (sic)," Raut wrote.
Shiv Sena's clarification comes after their party leader Nitin Nandgaonkar ordered the owner Karachi Sweets to rename it to something in Marathi. A video of it has gone viral on social media.
“You stay in Mumbai and keep the name (of the shop) Karachi. You came after partition, you are welcome and can do your business. But don’t keep the name Karachi. We hate the word Karachi as the place harbours terrorists in Pakistan,” said Nandgaonkar in the video.
“We are giving you time to change the name. You can name the shop after anything you want. You can name it after your ancestors, but not Karachi. Write the name in Marathi, and change it on the signboard as well as the shop registration papers,” he added.
Meanwhile, Karachi Sweets' owner has concealed the word 'Karachi' from the signboard of his shop after the alleged threat. "I don’t want any trouble over this issue. I have consulted my lawyers and in the days to come I might or might not change the name “Karachi” from the signboards," he told India Today.
