The MNS chief Raj Thackeray’s Ayodhya visit had run into a controversy after BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh Brij Bhushan Singh had intensely opposed it, demanding an apology from Raj Thackeray for the assault on people from Uttar Pradesh and other North Indians in Mumbai in 2008. The much-talked-about Ayodhya visit of Raj Thackeray on June 5 has been cancelled, for now. There was social media outrage about his visit and its consequences. Some think tanks questioned him about the safety of commoners. Many believed that the son of Raj Thackeray should lead those youth who are used for creating violence and unrest.
BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh Brij Bhushan demanded an apology from Raj Thackeray for the assault on people from Uttar Pradesh and other North Indians in Mumbai in 2008. Raj Thackrey has different targets, first North Indians and during Modi’s second term it was Gujarati population. Gujarati communities in cities of Western & Northern Maharashtra are very successful. Thackeray thought that this hate movement against Gujarati speaking community can fetch him some votes in the 2019 elections. When he flopped, he conveniently joined hands with BJP and picked up Muslim hate.
The Shiv Sena, on the other hand, announced that the Maha Vikas Aghadi minister Aditya Thackeray will visit Ayodhya on June 15 and also visit the ISKCON temple. Hundreds of Shiv Sainiks will be going to Ayodhya on June 15 with Aditya Thackeray. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has also visited Ayodhya in the past. Shiv Sena shares a special bond with Ayodhya. During recent parliamentary elections, Sanjay Raut was a frequent visitor to Uttar Pradesh.
Meanwhile, Raj Thackeray will hold a rally at Ganesh Kala Krida Manch in Pune city at 10 am on Sunday. An earlier rally which was scheduled to be held on Saturday along the Mutha river bed in the Deccan area has been cancelled due to the possibility of rain. I know his rallies send ripples to ruling party leaders but his speeches are diluting his individuality.
Once he rightly took up the cause against hawkers who were stocky anywhere. There was no place to walk on Mumbai footpaths. On a daily basis there were thousands of migrants from UP Bihar, imagine the encroachment and burden on the city. If the UP Bihar government had created employment opportunities, then the other 4 metropolitan citizens would not be burdened. But now Raj Thackeray praises Yogi Adityanath and his good administration. Once he praised Modi for the Gujarat Model and then he criticized calling it a fake model.
He rightly spoke against bullet trains because the city needed basic infrastructure which is not there. This opinion is also supported by all citizens. Earlier all those topics he picked were for public welfare, but now he is against particular people, religions and politicians. In fact, he has huge Muslim supporters within Maharashtra. Now they all have distanced themselves from MNS. Raj has become a tool in BJP’s hands and this is what people have not liked.
He also spoke against the bullying behaviour of Gujarati people. Gujarati people have a lot of money because they have been Business communities/ traders from the beginning due to their Ahimsa philosophy and not participating in a war culture. Gujaratis buy land or redevelop buildings and make them into only veg and only for Gujarati societies. They don’t sell the flats to anyone other than Gujaratis. When Marathi people are not biased against Gujaratis it is totally wrong for Gujaratis to do this. If they do this in Gujarat it is ok, but why in Maharashtra.
Just because non-development of states of UP and Bihar is costing a compromise and a loss of livelihood and lifestyle to many Maharashtrians and other states. I personally supported his stand once but now he has changed. His politics has become more of hate-mongering and less of public concerns. Last month, Raj Thackeray had hailed Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath amid the UP-government’s action on loudspeakers.
The Sena, allied to the ideologically opposed Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress, has been targeted by the BJP for forsaking Sena founder Bal Thackeray’s militant Hindutva ideals. The MNS, accused by the Sena of acting like the BJP’s ‘B-team’, has upped the ‘Hindutva’ ante by demanding the Uddhav Thackeray-led tripartite MVA government to remove loudspeakers from mosques.
