Bal Thackeray "loves Sachin" and he has "given him advice"- that's how the Shiv Sena explains Bal Thackeray's attack against cricketer Sachin Tendulkar. At a press conference, Sanjay Raut, spokesperson for the Sena, also said Thackeray "is 100% right" in his remarks against Tendulkar. 
 
The cricketer has been attacked by Bal Thackeray for saying he is an Indian first and then a Maharashtrian. In an editorial in his party's mouthpiece, on Monday morning, Thackeray said Tendulkar should stick to playing cricket. He also declared Sachin's been "run-out on the Marathi pitch."

Advising Sachin to stay away politics, Sena supremo Bal Thackeray said in an open letter on the front page of his organisation's newspaper, Saamna: "You have played like a king and become a multi-millionaire, no one has issues with that. But at a press conference, you said you are proud of being Marathi but are an Indian first. This has hurt Marathi people."
 
Thackeray recalled that Sachin said all Indians had an equal right on Mumbai and said: "What was the need for this? You have been 'run-out' on the Marathi pitch. When the Marathi people wrested Mumbai, you weren't even born."

Meanwhile, the BCCI has come out strongly in defence of the batting maestro. "Shiv Sena's comment is completely uncalled for. Whoever said this should be brought to book," Shukla said.