Raj Thackeray accuses BJP of stoking tension in Maharashtra over Chhath Puja issue

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray has accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of trying to create social and cultural tension in Mumbai by bringing the Chhath Puja issue to the centre of politics.

In a statement posted on the social media platform X on Friday, Thackeray said the BJP and its social media network were trying to set communities against one another in Maharashtra ahead of the coming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. This is Thackeray's allegation.

Thackeray claimed that videos and social media reels linked to Chhath Puja were being circulated to raise tension. He also alleged that Bhojpuri songs were played at some railway stations in Mumbai to provoke a dispute. According to him, the MNS later protested against this.

Thackeray also said the BJP's journey of losing power, both at the Centre and in the states, had begun after the Gen Z protests. He alleged that the party was increasingly relying on divisive political strategies, including religious and caste-based polarisation, to win elections.

Referring to past political controversies, he spoke of the Hindu-Muslim divide during elections and of Marathi-Gujarati tension over the pigeon-feeding controversy in Mumbai. According to Thackeray, the BJP is trying to divert people's attention from government-related issues by getting different communities to quarrel.

The MNS chief appealed to Marathi-speaking people and party workers not to be provoked by deliberate attempts to create confrontation. Citing the guerrilla warfare strategy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, he said Maharashtra should decide for itself when and how to respond, rather than getting drawn into fights on the terms of political opponents.

He warned that any attempt to create cultural unrest in the name of religious festivals would not be taken lightly.

Thackeray also accused the BJP of harming the country's social harmony. He said Maharashtra's land, forests and natural resources were being handed over to a particular industrialist. Expressing concern over the use of the state's resources, he asked the Marathi community to remain alert to what is happening around them.

At the end of the statement, Thackeray appealed to Marathi people and MNS workers to stay vigilant and not fall into a political trap. He said the right response would be given at the right time.