E-Paper
Sena's Raut's 'Sri Lanka, Ukraine' warning to BJP on tensions in big cities
India's capital city witnessed violence on Saturday during a procession for Hanuman Jayanti in Jahangirpuri.
Amid recent tensions between communities in several states, including Maharashtra, Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut on Tuesday targeted the BJP, saying India's economy may face bigger challenges than the neighbouring Sri Lanka and war-hit Ukraine if big cities continue to witness such incidents. The 60-year-old leader also linked the violence in Delhi to the civic polls, which are due in the national capital.
India's capital city witnessed violence on Saturday during a procession for Hanuman Jayanti in Jahangirpuri. Several people, including cops were injured. While home minister Amit Shah is monitoring the situation, the Delhi Police has said that action would be taken against those involved "irrespective of caste, creed, and religion."
"In the big cities of the country...the way situation is tense or such a situation has been created, it's highly unfortunate. Riots are happening in the national capital. Delhi is a centre-administered state... it is a union territory," Raut told reporters, without naming the BJP ruling at the centre.
"Now, the MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) elections are about to take place in the city. First, the elections were pushed beyond the scheduled date. And now riots are taking place. All that's happening right now... it's just to win the civic polls. because they've no other issue." The civic polls were postponed in Delhi after the centre told the Election Commission that three civic bodies will be merged into one. After the MCD unification bill was cleared in parliament, the centre on Tuesday said a supervising officer would be appointed soon.
"In Mumbai, they don't have power so the loudspeaker issue is being raised. Similarly, other big cities are getting affected. This affects the people going out to work... If the pattern continues, India's economy will face a fate worse than Sri Lanka and Ukraine with this politics of riots. "
While Sri Lanka is facing one of the worst economic challenges in decades after the country's tourism sector was hit during the pandemic, Ukraine has been resisting an invasion attempt from Russia after the onslaught began on February 24.
Maharashtra is set to decide on the the use of loudspeaker after some BJP leaders and MNS’s Raj Thackeray objected to its use for azaans (Muslim prayers). Neighbouring Karnataka too witnessed a political row over the matter.
Raut’s comments on Tuesday and his fresh attack on the BJP - once a Sena ally - also come days after tensions during Ram Navami processions in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and other states.
Maharashtra’s Amravati district witnessed tensions on Sunday over hoisting of religious flags.
(With inputs from ANI)
