India, July 5 -- Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Saturday alleged that the state's now-revoked three-language policy was a precursor to a larger conspiracy to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra. His comments came as he shared the political stage with his cousin, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, for the first time in nearly two decades.

Addressing the massive "Awaj Marathicha" victory rally in Mumbai, Raj remarked in a lighter vein that Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis had done what even Balasaheb Thackeray could not-bring the two estranged cousins together.

The rally was organized to celebrate the government's rollback of two controversial government resolutions that mandated Hindi as a third compulsory lang...