Mumbai, July 30 -- Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray strongly condemned the labelling and heavy-handed targeting of young student protesters, drawing historical parallels to how oppressive powers historically belittled dissenters, recalling how Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was labelled a 'rat' by the Mughals.

Addressing the book launch event of Shiv Sena-UBT spokesperson Harshal Pradhan, Thackeray highlighted that those who have been called "cockroaches" were just 16-17-year-old students.

"Yuva Shakti has shown that democracy has lost. Today, if a stone is lifted for the right of justice, the person is called a terrorist. Those referred to as cockroaches were aged 16-17 years. Even Shivaji Maharaj was called Chuha (rat) by the Mugha...