Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, on the occasion of Gudhi Padwa, the beginning of the Marathi Hindu new year, addressed his cadre and followers in his annual speech at the Shivaji Park here and came down heavily on the ruling Shiv Sena and NCP, indicating the new political stance that he’ll probably be taking before the key BMC Elections to be held soon. Raj Thackeray had campaigned against the BJP in 2019 assembly elections, asking voters of the Western state to make his MNS the prime opposition party in the legislative assembly, a demand that grabbed attention but couldn’t fetch him enough votes.
Sharad Pawar on target
In his traditional Gudhi Padwa address, the MNS Chief fired verbal shots at NCP Chief Sharad Pawar, accusing his party of creating a caste-divide in the state.
“If we are going to get involved in caste, what kind of Hindu and Hindutva are we going to carry? Hindu is only Hindu in Hindu-Muslim riots. He was Indian on 26th January and 15th August. We don’t know who he is when China invades. He used to be Marathi, Gujarati, Tamil, then when he was Marathi, he was Maratha, Brahmin, Agri. NCP, Sharad Pawar wants this,” Raj Thackeray said at his rally.
“NCP, Sharad Pawar want caste politics. When NCP was born in 1999, caste politics started on a large scale in Maharashtra. Earlier caste was about the pride of community. But after the birth of NCP in 1999, they started creating rifts between castes,” he further added.
Mosque Loudspeakers
The Chief of the MNS, the party which grew to prominence because of its anti-North Indians stand in the state, also demanded that loudspeakers of mosques be shut down.
“Why loudspeakers in mosques are played at such high volume? If this is not stopped, there will be speakers outside mosques playing Hanuman Chalisa at higher volume,” he said.
“I am not against prayers, or any particular religion. I do take pride in my own religion,” he added.
Raj Thackeray also took potshots at Maharashtra Chief Minister and his estranged cousin Uddhav Thackeray, whose party, the Shiv Sena, had a bitter break-up with its traditional ally the BJP over the chief minister’s post.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah were saying that Devendra Fadnavis is going to be the next chief minister. Uddhav Thackeray was present on stage but he never mentioned any seat sharing formula. Uddhav only brought it up when he realized that BJP could not form government without his help (after 2019 elections),” Mr Thackeray said.
“The three parties in the government (Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress) have ignored people’s mandate”, the MNS Chief alleged.
Madrasas in ghettos
Raj Thackeray also made an unique request to the Prime Minister, asking him to raid Madrasas in ghettos and slum areas in Mumbai.
“I urge the Prime Minister to raid the madrassas in the slums. The police also know. You don’t need Pakistan, so many things can be done in this slum, ” said Raj Thackeray.
Schools voters
“When will we, who are stuck in caste politics, come together as Hindus,” asked Raj Thackeray.
Raj Thackeray asked the people, “You put those aside who worked for you, and put those in power who don’t work. So what is the use of working? You are electing looters to power.”
“When a person mortgages his self-esteem, all that remains are corpses,” said Raj Thackeray, and asked voters to show these people (political parties) “their place”.
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