Shiv Sena Workers "Purify'' Bal Thackeray Memorial After Narayan Rane Visit

Some Sena leaders had earlier objected to the visit by Narayan Rane, who fell out with his mentor and party founder Bal Thackeray in 2005

Hours after Union Minister Narayan Rane paid tribute at the memorial of the late Bal Thackeray here, Shiv Sena workers today washed the area with "gomutra'' (cow urine) and performed milk "abhishek'' to "purify'' it. Some Sena leaders had earlier objected to the visit by Mr Rane, who fell out with his mentor and party founder Bal Thackeray in 2005, to the memorial at Shivaji Park in central Mumbai. After his visit, Appa Patil, a local Sena worker, washed the spot where Mr Rane had offered a floral tribute with cow urine, and performed "abhishek'' on the portrait of the late leader by pouring milk. "Rane came here to pay tributes to Balasaheb, but at the same time he criticises the party formed by him. This place had become impure by his visit, so we wanted to clean it up," Mr Patil told reporters.