Raj Thackeray’s provocative speech unacceptable in progressive Maharashtra: Ajit Pawar

MNS chief’s own partymen reportedly unhappy with his remarks as they fear alienating Muslim voters, he says

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar on Wednesday chastised Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray for his recent speech demanding the removal of loudspeakers from mosques. Making divisive speeches merely to secure political mileage was unacceptable in a Maharashtra formed on the bedrock of “Shahu, Phule and Ambedkar’s progressive ideals”, he said.

Speaking in Shirdi in Ahmednagar district, Mr. Pawar criticised the MNS chief’s speech delivered at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park last week delivered on the occasion of Gudi Padwa (Marathi New Year), commenting that Mr. Thackeray’s exhortations to his party workers to ‘combat’ the ‘azaan’ with Hanuman Chalisa was not accepted even by some MNS leaders.

“Making inflammatory speeches of this kind will not solve people’s problems. Despite ordinary people living in harmony, some leaders are deliberately trying to disrupt the peace…even his [Raj Thackeray’s] own corporators are raising objections at this speech and are saying that such statements will hamper their chances of winning the civic polls,” Mr. Pawar stated.

Maharashtra Home Minister and senior NCP leader Dilip Walse-Patil, who recently halted his own speech at an event during the ‘azaan’, observed that Mr. Thackeray’s speech would merely heighten social tensions.    

In his April 2 speech, Mr. Thackeray, advocating a hard ‘Hindutva’ line, demanded the ruling tripartite Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government of the Shiv Sena, the Nationalist and the Congress to remove loudspeakers before mosques; else his party workers would do so by force and play the Hanuman Chalisa in their stead.

However, his speech has met with distinctly mixed reactions by his partymen. A number of MNS leaders have refused to implement it for fear of alienating their Muslim voters.

While the MNS’ Pune city president Vasant More has reportedly refused to play Hanuman Chalisa in front of the mosques in his ward, two local MNS Muslim leaders from the city have apparently submitted their resignations following Mr. Thackeray’s speech.