Patna, Feb 2 (IANS) Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi Tuesday slammed the Shiv Sena for its controversial 'Mumbai for Marathis' slogan and stressed that every part of India belongs to every Indian.

The Shiv Sena was silent, Gandhi said, when National Security Guard (NSG) personnel from various parts of India fought Pakistani terrorists during the Nov 26-29, 2008 attacks in Mumbai.

"In Mumbai, men in the NSG were from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra. At that time they (Shiv Sena) were silent and did not say that those from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh should be taken out. India has to move forward and all have to be taken forward," Gandhi, who is on a two-day Bihar tour, told reporters here.

The remark comes a day after Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray said in the party mouthpiece Saamna that Gandhi had insulted 26/11 martyrs by only recognising soldiers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

The Congress MP was, however, unfazed.

"India belongs to Indians. Every part of India belongs to every Indian. I am not interested in the views of Bal Thackeray or Raj Thackeray (of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena).