Mumbai:
Sena chief is an avid newspaper reader, particularly enjoys going through letters to editor
for 84-year-old Bal Thackeray, life is usually confined to Matoshri, his residence in Mumbai.
But the restriction on movement has hardly deterred the Shiv Sena chief from keeping himself updated about the world outside, mostly through newspapers.
A Sena worker says Thackeray loves going through letters by readers in newspapers. He scans through more than a dozen newspapers every day and carefully reads every letter addressed to the editor.
"If the letters are about serious local issues, he calls the Sena corporator from the area or the local MLA and MP and even instructs them to solve the problem," said a source in the Thackeray family.
Thackeray's son, Uddhav, who is executive president of the party, also confirms this. "If there are articles which he thinks I should read, he marks them and sends them to me every evening. He has asked me to read what he sends me. This reduces my workload as I do not have to read all the newspapers in detail. The paper cuttings he sends are mostly related to social issues. If we have to discuss an issue reported in the newspaper, we meet and talk about it," Uddhav said.
A party official said that as editor of Sena mouthpiece Saamna, Bal Thackeray also calls executive editor Sanjay Raut to discuss editorial issues.
Uddhav says his father spends most of his time meeting people. "He gathers information about party activities from them. After the recent medical treatment, he is much more active.
He does develop breathing problems when there is a change in the weather. Otherwise, he is doing well. Doctors visit Matoshri for his routine check-up," he says.
Chest physician Dr Jalil Parkar has been visiting Matoshri for more than one-and-half years to keep a tab on the Sena chief's health. He has been keeping a close watch on Thackeray's health after he was discharged from Lilavati Hospital after the treatment for a respiratory problem. Dr Parkar said, "Balasaheb is fit and can even go out, but people prefer to come and meet him at his house. Saheb talks to them, listens carefully to their problems and solves the issue. He has become more active after treatment."
Six months ago, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray underwent a minor procedure to correct his vision at the state government-run JJ Hospital. For many months, he had a difficulty in reading fine print. But once the problem was solved, it was back to the world of newspapers for him.