Raj Thackeray accuses BJP of stoking Marathi–North Indian divide over Chhath Puja; urges Sainiks to avoid 'political trap'

Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief, Raj Thackeray, on Friday launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of attempting to manufacture regional and linguistic conflict in Mumbai ahead of Chhath Puja to reap political dividends in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

In a strongly-worded statement, Thackeray urged the Marathi populace and his party cadre—the Maharashtra Sainiks—to exercise strategic restraint and refrain from falling into what he described as a "trap" laid by the BJP.

Thackeray’s remarks come amid heightened political tension in Mumbai following controversies over Bhojpuri songs being played over public announcement systems at several railway stations, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Wadala.

While MNS and Shiv Sena (UBT) workers objected to the broadcasts, Thackeray alleged the episode was part of a broader, orchestrated campaign on social media to frame the festival as a "cultural invasion" and provoke a backlash.

"The BJP remains frustrated because the conflict they so desire has failed to materialise," Thackeray stated, claiming the party’s traditional "divide and rule" playbook was losing traction.

He accused the BJP of routinely polarising communities along religious lines ahead of Lok Sabha polls, stoking caste tensions before state elections, and manufacturing regional friction—such as the kabutarkhana (pigeon-feeding) dispute—during civic polls.

Drawing parallels to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s guerrilla warfare tactics, the MNS chief advised his supporters not to react impulsively on "a battlefield of their choosing."

"Do not take our restraint as a sign of cowardice," Thackeray warned, adding that his party would choose the time and manner of its response.

He also addressed North Indian and Gujarati residents in Mumbai directly, cautioning them against being used as political pawns while reiterating that Maharashtra belongs to the Marathas.

Beyond the Chhath Puja row, Thackeray broadened his offensive against the Centre and state leadership, alleging crony capitalism and environmental degradation. He accused the government of "selling off Maharashtra piece by piece" to a favoured industrialist, alleging that forest lands and parts of the Sahyadri mountain range were being handed over while society remained "unvigilant."

Thackeray also questioned the impartiality of the Election Commission and claimed that youth-led "Gen Z" unrest signaled the beginning of the BJP’s political decline at both the Centre and state levels. Concluding his message, he challenged the BJP to move past divisive politics and urged Marathi citizens to remain alert and united.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

IANS

[email protected]