The MNS chief Raj Thackeray seems to love attention and the controversies that come along with it. His speeches have created quite a furor in the MVA coalition-led Maharashtra state.During the Gudi Padwa rally in the State, he gave a call against loudspeakers playing azaan and even said his party would play Hanuman Chalisa in front of mosques if the state government does not remove these loudspeakers by May 3.
Upholding his hard-Hindutva line, his demand to the MVA that the loudspeakers be removed by mosques or MNS party workers would do so by force and play the Hanuman Chalisa in their stead invited criticism from all sections of society. A similar ultimatum is also now being practiced in UP's Varanasi by the BJP's followers. Apart from his anti-Muslim speeches, he also didn't stray away from throwing jibes at the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition government of the Shiv Sena, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and the Congress. He alleged that the Maha Vikas Aghadi government was formed, disrespecting the mandate given by the voters of Maharashtra.
The MNS chief also criticized Maha Vikas Aghadi for bringing into the cabinet MLAs of NCP having criminal backgrounds. Since his party's dismal performance in the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly Election, Raj Thackeray has been cozying up to the BJP to wrest the Hindutva space from the Shiv Sena. The BJP and Shiv Sena had fought the 2019 polls together, bagging 105 and 56 seats, respectively, securing them a comfortable majority in the 288 seat Assembly.
However, the Sena's reluctance to be the junior partner, coupled with the BJP'S stubborn stance about retaining the Chief Ministership, led the alliance to split. This fall-out with the BJP made Shiv Sena ally with the ideologically opposed NCP and the Congress in the State. Raj Thackeray's strong advocacy of Hindutva politics is in a bid to seize the Hindutva space left by Shiv Sena. Mr. Thackeray's announcement that he would be visiting Ayodhya on June 5 with his associates is also very telling of his political strategies and future goals.This Ayodhya announcement comes after prominent Shiv Sena leader and minister Aaditya Thackeray said he would be visiting Ayodhya soon.
The MNS chief also said that he would soon be holding a public address at Aurangabad's Sanskrutik Mandal ground.The decision to choose Sanskrutik Mandal ground is noteworthy as it was the same place where the late Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray addressed a massive rally and gave the call for 'Aurangabad' to be renamed 'Sambhajinagar'.
Raj Thackeray has also tried to exhort his audience by painting Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha empire, as primarily a Hindu ruler who fought Muslims. Despite this extortion not receiving an enthusiastic response from the people,the statements are very telling of his political lenience and his allegiance towards hard-Hindutva politics. Bal Thackeray, the Shiv Sena founder, has also incited the State's Hindu's similarly during his lifetime. The Shiv Sena, or "Shivaji's army," was deliberately used repeatedly by the late Sena Chief to target Muslims in the many riots, including the 1992-93 post-Babri Masjid demolition clashes. To further attract Shiv Sainiks, he has constantly also brought out how the present Shiv Sena leaders, which also includes his cousin Uddhav Thackeray are now working in tandem with politicians and ideologies that party founder Bal Thackeray has staunchly opposed.
Raj Thackeray's hard-Hindutva line might come as a surprise to many who has seen him put forth a spirited Anti-Modi, though in vain during the 2019 Lok Sabha Polls. As of now, it is unclear how successful echoing Bal Thackeray would be in presenting BJP as an alternative to Shiv Sena and how this would help him get in the good books of the saffron party, but its sure Raj Thackeray's antics will keep the political corridors of Maharashtra brimming with heated debates and speculations for some time. As Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi and other party leaders have accused MNS for being the BJP's-B team, letting the BJP's "Unofficial spokesperson" get away with his frolics would spell danger for the political aspirations of Uddhav Thackeray led Government especially the Shiv Sena in the State.
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