Raj Thackeray Accuses BJP Of Fueling Marathi vs North Indian Chhath Puja Rift
A fresh political debate has erupted in Maharashtra over Chhath Puja celebrations in Mumbai, with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray launching a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party. Thackeray accused the ruling party of deliberately trying to create tension between Marathi speakers and North Indian residents in the city. Addressing his party workers and the local Marathi population, he warned them not to fall into what he described as a carefully laid political trap meant to divide communities for election gains.
The controversy began after debates surfaced around Chhath Puja arrangements at Mumbai beaches and the playing of Bhojpuri devotional songs at local railway stations. While some local leaders and groups raised questions about environmental rules and coastal restrictions, the issue quickly turned into a major political clash. Stepping into the matter, Raj Thackeray issued a detailed statement alleging that the BJP is actively trying to stir up regional and linguistic conflict in Mumbai and across Maharashtra.
According to Thackeray, the sudden flare-up over Chhath Puja is not a genuine cultural issue, but a calculated political move linked to the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. He claimed that whenever the BJP realizes it cannot win votes by showing actual development work, it attempts to create fights between two different social or regional groups. By turning a religious festival into a point of argument in Mumbai, the party hopes to gain political sympathy and votes in northern states, he alleged.
In his message to Marathi people and MNS workers, Thackeray urged everyone to remain calm, smart, and alert. He stated that there is no reason for Marathi citizens to fight on a battlefield chosen by their political opponents. Referring to the history of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Thackeray reminded his supporters that smart strategy is always better than walking blindly into an opponent's plan. He assured his followers that his party knows when and how to respond at the right time without letting anyone use them as pawns.
Thackeray also reached out with a direct message to North Indian and Gujarati communities living in Maharashtra. He asked residents from Uttar Pradesh and other regions to see through the political games being played around them. He warned that political leaders were only trying to pit one community against another to serve their own selfish interests. At the same time, he made it clear that while Maharashtra welcomes peaceful residents, anyone joining hands with divisive forces to confront local people should remember that this is the land of the Marathas.
To support his claims of a larger pattern, the MNS chief pointed to past incidents in Mumbai. He mentioned the earlier dispute surrounding Mumbai's Kabutarkhana, alleging that similar attempts were made to spark a Gujarati versus Marathi argument just before the Mumbai civic body elections. Thackeray argued that creating fear and social tension has become a regular habit for the BJP whenever elections draw near, whether at the local level or the national level.
Support for Thackeray's warning also came from Shiv Sena UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray, who echoed similar concerns on social media. Aaditya urged citizens, including those celebrating Chhath Puja, to stay alert and not get distracted by manufactured controversies. He alleged that the ruling party uses emotional debates to keep the public busy while important issues like environmental protection and public resources are ignored.
On the other hand, leaders from the BJP and its allies strongly rejected Raj Thackeray's allegations and hit back at the MNS. BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhye claimed that the MNS has run out of real public issues and is therefore picking up unnecessary topics just to stay in the news. Upadhye also took a swipe at Thackeray's statement, pointing out that Chhath Puja is primarily a major festival celebrated by people from Bihar, rather than Uttar Pradesh.
Meanwhile, ruling Shiv Sena leaders defended the festive arrangements and cultural expressions in Mumbai. Leader Sanjay Nirupam stated that Chhath songs are traditional devotional prayers sung in Bhojpuri, Maithili, and Magahi for centuries, and Indian Railways plays them at stations across the country. Comparing it to how Ganesh Chaturthi from Maharashtra is joyfully celebrated across India, Nirupam argued that celebrating Chhath Puja in Mumbai is not an imposition on local culture. State minister Uday Samant also downplayed the row, noting that Chhath Puja has been peacefully celebrated in Maharashtra every year.
As Chhath Puja celebrations continue across coastal areas and designated ghats in Mumbai, the war of words between political parties has once again brought identity politics into the spotlight. While civic authorities focus on managing crowds and maintaining cleanliness at beaches like Juhu and Versova, political observers note that how voters respond to these appeals for calm will shape the mood in Maharashtra ahead of future elections.