Sena to seek EC’s action over Jain monk’s remark

Attributing the Bharatiya Janata Party’s victory in the Mira-Bhayandar municipal corporation to “muni and money”, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said that the party is going to lodge a complaint with Election Commission in relation to the controversial remarks made by a Jain monk.

Mr Raut’s comment came after reports that the monk had appealed to the community to vote for the BJP, which will support vegetarianism in the society. However, the BJP immediately hit back, asking Sena to contemplate over party’s defeat rather than blaming the monk.

In the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation polls, out of the total 95 seats, the BJP won 61, Shiv Sena 22, Congress 10 and NCP zero. The BJP emerged as the biggest party in the civic body. Naypadmasagarji Maharaj, the Jain monk had appealed to the people during the polls to vote for the BJP to support vegetarianism in the society, a news report said.

Terming the appeal by the Jain monk as a violation of the code of conduct, Mr Raut said that the party would be lodging a complaint against this to the Election Commission. “These monks are posing a threat to the law and order situation in the state. We are going to register a complaint to the election commission,” the Sena MP said.

“The BJP’s victory is a stigma to the Maharashtra culture. Jain monk had issued ‘fatwas’ in the MiraBhayandar polls on the lines of fatwas by Imam of Jama Masjid. Those who issued such ‘fatwas’ are political goons,” Mr Raut told reporters.

Replying to Mr Raut, BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari said that the Sena has been losing elections since 2014. “Instead of searching for the reason for its defeat in the local elections, the Sena is crying foul over a Jain muni. In fact, the Sena has no right to speak against the monk who has devoted his life for the society,” Mr Bhandari said.

Naypadmasagarji Maharaj, the Jain monk had appealed to the people during the civic elections to vote for the BJP to support vegetarianism in the society