Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray is going to rally in Aurangabad on Sunday. Due to the issue of loudspeakers on mosques in the state, now the venue of this rally has also become a topic of discussion. The event, which is going to be organized at the Marathwada Cultural Mandal Ground, has a glimpse of the rally of late Bal Saheb Thackeray held nearly three decades ago.
In the year 1988, Bal Thackeray also did a program in Aurangabad. According to the Indian Express report, he too had used this platform to play the Hindutva card. He had announced to choose Khan (Muslim) and Baan (Shiv Sena’s symbol) from the public. By the time of 1980, under the leadership of Bal Thackeray, Shiv Sena had strengthened itself in Mumbai, Thane. At the same time, the Aurangabad rally helped a lot in establishing a foothold in the Marathwada region.
The Aurangabad rally helped Shiv Sena spread Hindutva politics outside Mumbai. Now after 34 years, MNS has also chosen this city and ground.
Shalini Thackeray, MNS general secretary and Raj’s cousin, says, “MNS is working on its politics and agenda. We are not acting like any party or leader. In our internal meetings held in the last few months, it was felt that MNS should not limit its rallies to Mumbai only. By organizing rallies in the state, we will not only reach out to our workers in other cities and regions, but will also reach out to a larger section of people.
Aurangabad Police has put some conditions regarding the rally in front of MNS, due to which the party will have to be careful. According to the report, regarding Raj Thackeray’s speech, the party source said, ‘He will say his mind. He has already raised the issue of loudspeakers. Aurangabad is the city where this issue will affect the people.
The special thing is that the Muslim population in the city is about 30 to 35 percent. Here All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen’s candidate Imtiaz Jalil defeated Shiv Sena leader Chandrakant Khaire in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Jalil had also invited Thackeray for Iftar.