The demand for giving the Bharat Ratna to Balasaheb Thackeray comes from prominent Maharashtra leaders like Raj Thackeray of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and Sanjay Raut of Shiv Sena (UBT).

“Now that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Center has shown political generosity by honouring P. V. Narasimha Rao, Chaudhary Charan Singh, and Pranab Mukherjee a few years ago, they must show the same generosity and declare Balasaheb Thackeray ‘Bharat Ratna’ as well,” Thackeray wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

“A prominent cartoonist of this country and a unique leader who kindled the pride of all Hindus across the country deserves this honour. It will be a moment of jubilation for me, and others like me who have inherited Balasaheb’s thoughts,” he added.

Sanjay Raut shared a photograph on social media that showed Narendra Modi bowing down to Bal Thackeray.

“Prime Minister Modi who calls himself Hindutva-vadi has once again forgotten Hindu Hridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray. First two and now three leaders have been honoured with Bharat Ratna in barely one month. However, neither Veer Savarkar nor Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray who deserve Bharat Ratna more than anyone else have been fully ignored,” Raut earlier posted on X.