MNS chief slams Aurangzeb row, river pollution, and Marathi snub; warns of stern action
Raj Thackeray at the MNS’s annual Gudi Padwa rally at Shivaji Park on Sunday. Pic/Rane Ashish
At the MNS’s annual Gudi Padwa rally at Shivaji Park, party chief Raj Thackeray delivered a fiery speech, hitting out at attempts to disrupt communal harmony, raising concerns over river pollution, and warning of strict action against those disrespecting the Marathi language.
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Thackeray urged people to unite under Marathi identity instead of dividing along caste and community lines. He emphasised that Marathi must be used in daily interactions and warned of a strong response to incidents where it is ignored. Referring to cases where a private telecom company representative and an employee at a South Mumbai store refused to speak Marathi, he declared, “MNS will deal in its own style with anyone disrespecting Marathi.”
Aurangzeb grave row
Thackeray took a dig at those suddenly realising the bravery of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj after watching the recently released film Chhaava. “Some people have woken up after watching a movie. Their Hindutva will fade once the film leaves theatres,” he said.
He suggested that all structures around Aurangzeb’s grave should be removed, with only a board left at the site stating: “The one who tried to destroy the Marathas is buried here.” He also proposed organising school trips to the site to educate the younger generation about Maratha history.
Ganga pollution
Criticising the pollution of rivers in the name of religion, Thackeray said, “Lakhs of people fell sick after taking a dip in the Ganga during the Kumbh Mela. This isn’t about disrespecting the river or the sacred event but addressing serious water quality concerns.”
Displaying a video of the Ganga post-Kumbh, he pointed out that R33,000 crore had been spent, yet pollution remained rampant. “The same situation exists in Maharashtra, where 55 rivers are at risk,” he said, highlighting the deteriorating condition of Mumbai’s Mithi River. “Out of Mumbai’s five rivers, four are already dead, and the fifth is on the verge of dying. What is the Pollution Control Board doing?”
Thackeray also criticised Maharashtra’s handling of environmental issues, contrasting it with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to a wildlife rescue center in Gujarat. “We complain about water shortages, yet we keep destroying forests,” he remarked.
Speaking about the loudspeaker at religious places, Thackeray said, “Yogi [chief minister of Uttar Pradesh] banned it. Here, we announced it, but everything is going on as usual.”
EVMs and reservation
Turning to governance, Thackeray slammed the Mahayuti government for failing to fulfil poll promises, such as farm loan waivers and the R2100 monthly payment under the Ladki Bahin scheme. “Ajit Pawar is asking farmers to clear dues, but where are the promises made?” he questioned.
He accused the government of diverting attention from real issues, including law and order concerns like the Beed sarpanch’s murder, rising farmer suicides, and unemployment. “So many Maratha chief ministers and ministers have been in power, yet the community is still demanding reservation—why?” he asked.
Thackeray reiterated his scepticism about Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), claiming that many voters felt their votes were not reflected accurately. “Forget the past, but let’s focus on the future,” he said, urging people to stay united as Marathi speakers and take inspiration from South Indian states in resisting Hindi imposition.
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