On Raj’s birthday, MNS to train women to be cabbies

Do not be surprised if you see group of maulanas (Muslim priests) at Raj Thackeray’s house on Monday. About 100 maulanas will flock to Krishna Kunj, the Maharastra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief’s residence, to bless him on his 42nd birthday

Do not be surprised if you see group of maulanas (Muslim priests) at Raj Thackeray’s house on Monday. About 100 maulanas will flock to Krishna Kunj, the Maharastra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief’s residence, to bless him on his 42nd birthday.

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“They will present Rajsaheb with a Marathi version of the Koran and also bless him with long life,” said Hazi Arafat Shaikh, MNS leader who heads the party’s transport wing.

MNS leaders will organise a variety of programmes to celebrate Thackeray’s birthday.

Sanjay Naik, district president, MNS will organise a special camp in Byculla to train 200 women to become taxi drivers.

Birthday Plans

1. Group of maulanas (Muslim priests) will visit Raj Thackeray at his residence.

2. Sanjay Naik, district president, MNS will organise a special camp in Byculla to train 200 women as taxi
drivers.

3. A special health camp will be organised in Lalbaug.

4. At Dahisar, local legislator Pravin Darekar plans to inaugurate 40 food stalls which will be given to unemployed Maharashtrian youths.

5. The MNS labour wing will start a special tree plantation drive on the day.

“We want to make Maharashtrian women self-reliant and after the training will help these women to procure taxi permits,” said Naik.

In the neighbouring Lalbaug area, a special health camp would be organised where citizens would be offered protein supplements by the party.

At Dahisar, local legislator Pravin Darekar plans to inaugurate 40 food stalls which would be given to unemployed Maharashtrian youths.

The MNS labour wing will start a special tree plantation drive on the day where at least 10,000 trees would be planted across the city and cadres will be given responsibility to maintain them.

“Birds are migrating from the city due to depleting green cover and we want them to come back,” said Manoj Chavan, president, MNS labour wing.

He said that one worker would be assigned to look after five trees and the entire process would be monitored constantly.

“Using Raj Thackeray’s name they are trying to popularise themselves and also trying to get into the good books of their leader,” said Nilu Damle, a veteran political commentator.

Other programmes such as distributing fruits to patients, sports tournaments as well as cultural programmes will be undertaken by the MNS.