Prayer politics on display as parties organise ‘pujas’

BJP, MNS further Hindutva cause on Hanuman Jayanti; Sena, NCP hold ‘maha artis’ to counter this

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Saturday held mass prayer events at temples across the state on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti. While the MNS organised prayers to protest against loudspeakers used at mosques, the ruling Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) organised events, including an Iftar (breaking of fast during the ongoing holy month of Ramzan) in Pune, in what party leaders called a bid to foster fraternity among residents of the state.

Sena Parliamentarian Sanjay Raut said there were intelligence inputs that attempts would be made to start communal riots in the state.

MNS chief Raj Thackeray, who earlier this month, launched an attack on the Azaan (call for prayer) over loudspeakers, performed a maha aarti at a temple at Khalkar Chowk in Pune. Amid slogans hailing Hindu gods Ram and Hanuman, Thackeray, who donned a saffron shawl, performed puja at the temple.

Several BJP legislators and party leaders organised maha aarti and Hanuman Chalisa recital programmes in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra. “The party did not hold any events but our leaders, legislators, and workers organised events on an individual capacity,” BJP chief spokesperson

Keshav Upadhye said,

BJP legislator Atul Bhatkhalkar said he carried out a ‘Shobha Yatra’ in his constituency Kandivli East. Similar events were held in Pune, Thane, Nashik and Pimpri Chinchwad, the Party spokesperson added.

Leader of the opposition in the assembly Devendra Fadnavis said those speaking out against the recitation of the Hanuman Chalisa were politicising the issue. “For centuries, Hanuman Chalisa has been a source of inspiration. Those who are commenting on it are merely politicising it.”

BJP functionary Mohit Kamboj distributed loudspeakers to temples ahead of Hanuman Jayanti. He had said last week that he would distribute 10,000 loudspeakers to play Hanuman Chalisa, and appealed to housing societies in the city to play it in lifts and on loudspeakers. The party said he did this in his personal capacity.

Sena made a bid to counter the move. Dressed in a saffron kurta, party leader and state minister Aaditya Thackeray performed a ‘maha aarti’ at a temple in Girgaon. Sena organised a ‘maha aarti’ at a temple in Dadar too. Raut visited Kalaram temple in Nashik and offered prayer.

The NCP organised a Hanuman aarti and Roza iftar on Saturday in Pune and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar attended the events.

Aaditya dismissed the allegation that the Sena organised maha aartis in Mumbai to counter MNS’s attempt to project itself as the new mascot of Hindutva. “We have been holding such aartis for years but some new parties have started this recently. With the pandemic receding, people have started celebrating festivals with much enthusiasm.”

NCP chief Sharad Pawar earlier this week said attempts were being made to create an atmosphere that would disturb social harmony in Maharashtra.

Raut on Saturday claimed there was a conspiracy to engineer communal riots in the state. Raut, without naming Raj, referred to him as neo-Hindu Owaisi and called him a “corrupt copy of Balasaheb Thackeray”. “There is a plan to spark communal riots in Maharashtra through the neo-Hindu Owaisi and the real Owaisi. And after the riots, the Raj Bhavan would send a report to the Centre on the law and order to impose Presidents’ rule. Even if such a conspiracy is on in the state, people of Maharashtra will expose it,” he said.

“Sena has a strong organisational presence and BJP cannot beat it on the Marathi vote base. The communal polarisation in Mumbai will help BJP. Uddhav Thackeray had taken the risk to say that he still held the Hindutva agenda but added his style of Hindutva was different from BJP. Nobody is talking about development and local issues,” political analyst Surendra Jondhale said.

With inputs from G. Mohiuddin

Jeddy

BHUSHAN KOYANDE/ HT PHOTO Shiv Sena party workers perform a ‘Maha Aarti’ in Dadar on Saturday.