• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

The political landscape in Maharashtra appears to be taking a 180-degree turn after cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray came together and held a joint rally in Mumbai on Saturday. Political reactions poured in, with many labelling the union 'a desperate attempt to stay relevant'.

A 'Jihadi Gathering'

Maharashtra Minister Nitish Rane was among the leaders to make extreme remark about the rally, calling it ‘Jihadi’ gathering. He said on Friday, “We are Hindus and also proud Marathi. The way jihadis attempt to divide our society, these people are doing the same. Be it (banned) Popular Front of India (PFI) or Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) who work against the idea of a Hindu Rashtra, these two (Thackerays) are no different. They are trying to weaken the state," news agency ANI reported.

 ALSO READ: Delhi: Three Die In Suspicious Circumstances In Dakshinpuri House, Probe Underway To Ascertain Cause Of Death

"It is an anti-Hindu rally," the Fisheries and Port Development Minister said.

On the other hand, the Mumbai BJP President, Ashish Shelar. called the union an ‘appeasement’ campaign for the election, rather than an event organised for language. 

“With the municipal elections approaching, the panicked Ubatha Sena (a mocking term for Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena) has suddenly remembered ‘brotherhood’... and they've never truly cared for it anyway,” Ashish Shelar said in an X post. 

Union Minister Chirag Paswan also reacted to the rally held in Mumbai, saying they have not come together for ‘language, but for their selfish motives and to recover their lost base’.

Paswan said, “The Constitution of India permits us to live in any corner of the country and speak any language.” “I support and respect every language... But how a few selfish political parties promote politics of discrimination – be it over caste, religion, region and now language – I do not support this at all,” He added.

'Brothers Should Stay United': Sudhir Mungantiwar On Thackeray Brothers

BJP leader and former minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, rather, made a contradictory statement to others, saying that brothers should stay united.

"The two brothers should unite and stay united. If necessary, their parties should even consider merging… If they are coming together, it's a good thing. They have our best wishes," he said, according to the news agency. 

ALSO READ: Bihar: Police Officer Thrashed By Petrol Pump Staff Over Billing Dispute | Watch Video

In a rare joint appearance after 20 years, Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray joined forces to host the 'Awaj Marathicha' gathering in Mumbai's Worli area. The event celebrated the rollback of two government resolutions that had made Hindi a compulsory third language in state schools, a move that was introduced by the previous Devendra Fadnavis-led government.