A controversy erupted in Thane after members of the Shinde faction allegedly removed and discarded a floral garland and saffron shawl placed on the statue of late Shiv Sena leader Anand Dighe by party workers from the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction. Reacting sharply, Shiv Sena (UBT) Thane district chief Kedar Dighe questioned how the Shinde group felt no shame in disrespecting a revered leader.
The incident took place ahead of a meeting of senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders in Thane on Sunday. Before the event, party leaders and workers paid tribute to Anand Dighe by adorning his statue with flowers and a saffron shawl. However, Kedar Dighe alleged that workers from the Shinde faction later removed these offerings and threw them on the street. In a social media post, he accused them of repeatedly dishonoring Anand Dighe for the sake of "betrayal politics" and claimed that they had no right to remain in the revered Anand Ashram.
Kedar Dighe further stated that Anand Dighe was a leader for all and worked selflessly for the people. However, he alleged that the Shinde faction had taken control of Anand Ashram and was attempting to limit the late leader’s legacy. He also accused them of having a “filthy mindset” and crossing all limits of arrogance by disrespecting tributes offered by Shiv Sainiks.