India, July 5 -- Citing "protection of Marathi pride", Uddhav Thackeray appeared emphatic at the reunion rally with cousin Raj Thackeray in Mumbai on Saturday: "Yes, we are goons; if we have to be goons to get justice, we will do goondagiri."

He was apparently addressing criticism about the Thackerays' men slapping and intimidating people, including street vendors, over their not speaking in Marathi.

Uddhav, who spoke after Raj, said that on the question of linguistic identity, "Raj, I and everyone else here is united."

Two decades after their breakup over Shiv Sena succession, the patch-up comes on agenda of "Marathi pride" after the BJP-led state government sought to introduce Hindi as a third language in schools. That decision has s...