'Don't fall into BJP's trap': Raj Thackeray alleges bid to divide Mumbai over Chhath Puja

NewsIndia News'Don't fall into BJP's trap': Raj Thackeray alleges bid to divide Mumbai over Chhath Puja 'Don't fall into BJP's trap': Raj Thackeray alleges bid to divide Mumbai over Chhath Puja Edited by Abhishek Mishra / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Nov 13, 2026, 11:56 IST NEW DELHI: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena supremo Raj Thackeray on Thursday accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of using Chhath Puja to create social and cultural tensions in Mumbai, urging people not to fall in a "political trap."In a post on X, Thackeray alleged that the BJP was attempting to provoke a confrontation between Marathi and North Indian communities ahead of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.

He claimed that the party and its social media network were circulating reels around Chhath Puja and what he termed cultural aggression to create discord in Maharashtra.Thackeray also referred to Bhojpuri songs being played at some railway stations in Mumbai, claiming that the MNS had intervened to stop the practice."However, the BJP appears to be disappointed that all these efforts have still not managed to create the kind of conflict it expects.

And all this exercise is being undertaken with the upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections in mind," he said.Questioning the BJP's political strategy, the MNS chief said the party's think tank appeared to have run out of ideas and that its long-standing "divide and rule" formula would no longer help it win elections.He alleged that the BJP had repeatedly attempted to exploit religious and caste divisions for electoral gains, claiming that it sought to create Hindu-Muslim tensions ahead of Lok Sabha elections and caste-based divisions before state assembly polls.

"Whenever Lok Sabha elections approach, it tries to ignite Hindu-Muslim tensions. It brings Muslim women wearing burqas into playgrounds and gardens and attempts to scare people by saying, 'Look, look, now they have reached our playgrounds and gardens.' Of course, several videos of people wearing burqas to create an atmosphere of terror among Hindu women and men are already visible on social media," he said.Join conversation InsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig Development Thackeray also cited the row surrounding Mumbai's Kabutarkhana, alleging that the BJP had attempted to fuel a Gujarati-versus-Marathi divide ahead of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections last year."I have said several times in my speeches that when the BJP realises it cannot win elections by showcasing its work, it creates conflict between two groups and wins elections on the bloodshed that follows," he said.He further alleged that the Election Commission played the decisive role in electoral victories, while communal and social conflicts were used by the BJP to explain its success.

Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app. Abhishek Mishra is a Digital Content Producer at The Times of India, working with the news desk. He writes with a keen eye on foreign policy, defence developments, and the shifting currents of geopolitics-and yes, Indian politics always finds a way onto his radar too.

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