Remarks on Muslims out of context -- Thackeray

MUMBAI: SHIV Sena supremo Bal Thackeray on Thursday said his reported statement on taking away the Muslims right to vote ‘‘has been taken out of context and distorted by vested interests’’. ‘‘All I had said was that the so-called secular parties will not bother about Muslims if the latter’s right to vote is taken away from them,’’ Thackeray told newsmen. ‘‘I only intended to expose these political parties, which have used minorities as vote-banks and are not genuinely concerned about the community,’’ he said. Thackeray, however, refused to comment on the ruling Democratic Front’s decision to refer his controversial statement to the legal department of the State Government.

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