Mumbai, March 19 (NationPress) Raj Thackeray, the leader of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), expressed concerns on Thursday regarding the Central government's failure to support Iran.

Thackeray highlighted that Iran has been a reliable ally for India, especially in regard to the sensitive Jammu and Kashmir situation. He cautioned that neglecting a trusted partner could have severe diplomatic and economic repercussions for India.

He noted that a significant portion of India's oil imports is sourced from Iran, which has previously accepted payments in Rupees.

“When Iran faced an attack, our Prime Minister did not make a single statement in support. There was also no official message of condolence or protest following the passing of Khamenei,” he commented during his Gudi Padwa address at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park.

Reflecting on the 20th anniversary of the MNS, Thackeray termed this milestone a “divine omen” and expressed his belief that his party would eventually reclaim Maharashtra’s “lost glory”.

In his extensive address, he criticized the state’s increasing debt, declining urban infrastructure, and sharply denounced Prime Minister Narendra Modi's foreign policy concerning the Iran-Israel conflict.

This was Thackeray's first speech following the MNS's defeat in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections, despite collaborating with his cousin and Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray on issues of Marathi pride and protecting the interests of the Marathi Manoos.

Addressing domestic issues, Thackeray took aim at the state government regarding Maharashtra’s financial standing. He pointed out that the state debt stood at approximately Rs 2 lakh crore in 2014 under Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, but has surged to Rs 11 lakh crore now.

“While the Chief Minister discusses a 3-trillion-dollar economy and development, the state is drowning in debt,” he stated.

He criticized large infrastructure initiatives such as the Coastal Road, arguing they are not intended for the average citizen but rather to facilitate outsiders and major industrialists like Adani in seizing land in Maharashtra.

Thackeray painted Maharashtra’s urban centers as “collapsed” and “formless,” emphasizing that permissions for skyscrapers are being granted indiscriminately while critical issues like traffic congestion remain unresolved.

He urged the youth to disengage from digital distractions, saying, “Step away from Instagram reels. The government seeks to keep you distracted by the IPL, films, and social media so you don’t take to the streets to challenge them. You are wasting away while your anger is confined to mobile screens.”

In a nostalgic reflection, Thackeray recalled wisdom from his uncle and mentor, the late Balasaheb Thackeray, who had taught him that the effectiveness of a speech is less about delivery and more about providing people with something substantial to ponder.

He asserted that those words remain “etched in his mind like a tightened screw.”

Despite facing electoral challenges, Thackeray affirmed that the MNS is the sole party genuinely advocating for Maharashtra and firmly declared that the party will one day regain power to restore the state’s prestige.