Maharashtra government against Covid-19, not religion or festivals, Uddhav slams BJP, MNS

In an attack on the BJP and MNS over their dahi handi celebrations, protests to reopen temples and the Jan Ashirwad Yatra, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday said his government is not anti-religion or against any festivals, but it is against coronavirus.

In an attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) over their dahi handi celebrations, protests to reopen temples and the Jan Ashirwad Yatra, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday said his government is not anti-religion or against any festivals, but it is against coronavirus.

Govindas wear masks during dahi handi festivities at Vile Parle on Tuesday. (Satish Bate/HT PHOTO)

The MNS on Tuesday defied the state government’s orders by celebrating dahi handi despite a ban on such celebrations in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

While MNS had symbolic celebrations in places like Kalachowki, Dadar, Mulund and in Thane, BJP leaders questioned Sena’s Hindutva credentials as the government was putting “selective” restrictions on Hindu festivals in the state. BJP leader Ashish Shelar on Monday asked: “Is this government taking orders from Taliban? Why are all restrictions being enforced on Hindu festivals in Maharashtra?”

“Those saying that our government is anti-Hindu, I want to show them a letter from the Centre, which specifically says avoid crowding during dahi handi and Ganeshotsav. The government is not against any festivals, but is against the coronavirus. So, those who want to agitate, should protest against corona[virus],” Thackeray said during his speech, while inaugurating PSA oxygen plants for Thane. The CM was present through video-conferencing.

Celebrated to mark the birth of Lord Krishna, dahi handi festivities involve communities hanging an earthen pot filled with dahi (yogurt) or other milk-based delicacies, at a convenient or difficult to reach height. Young men, boys and girls form teams, make a human pyramid and attempt to reach or break the pot. This is a major event celebrated across Maharashtra where organisers bestow the winners with numerous prizes after they break the pot. The festival is where political parties, legislators and party workers engage their cadre and supporters to leverage the crowd mobilisation for political gains. With civic body elections due in February-March 2022 in nine cities, including Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Nashik, among others, the festival had more significance.

The restriction on dahi handi celebrations in Maharashtra triggered a political war of words with MNS chief Raj Thackeray criticising the Maharashtra government saying the government likes lockdown. He said that while ‘Jan Ashirwad Yatra’ of central ministers was allowed, the ban was only on Hindu festivals. The state government on Monday had unveiled the rules where it disallowed all sorts of public gatherings such as community rituals, human pyramids and cultural events for the dahi handi festival.

“Everything is going on normally and there are crowds everywhere. People are playing cricket and football on the grounds. A picture is being created that Covid-19 spreads only during the festivals. Fear is being created among the people. Hence I told my party workers to celebrate dahi handi with gusto,” said Raj Thackeray. He said it is ironic that ‘Jan Ashirwarad Yatra’ and other gatherings are being held while festivities are being curbed. “Let there be a similar law for everyone,” he added.

The CM further said, “I am aware that we are missing the excitement and celebrations of dahi handi for some time now. I still remember the thrill of dahi handi. But, today, we can not celebrate festivals in huge gatherings. The Centre has said that the third wave of Covid is expected.”

In a veiled jab at BJP, CM said the protests are not for freedom. “This is not the fight for freedom. What great freedom did they get by breaking the Covid norms? Had they agitated for freedom, it would have been a different case.” “Shiv Sena is known for 80% of social work and 20% of politics. Unfortunately, these people want to do 100% politics and won’t care even if the people die due to the rallies. They want to take out the yatras (rallies) when the threat of the third wave of Covid is being expressed.

“They don’t want to build any facilities for the public but want to hold rallies and programs endangering the lives of the people. Why? Because they want the blessings of the people. Do they want blessings to put people’s lives in danger?” Thackeray said, attacking the BJP’s Jan Ashirwad Yatra.

Sena leader Sanjay Raut took an indirect swipe at MNS, calling the Raj Thackeray-led party without any “mass base”. “We have seen what happened in Kerala. The third wave started after some relaxations were given there. Maharashtra is opening up activities gradually, but some political parties, which do not have base among the masses are celebrating dahi handi. These restrictions are put by Centre, asking state to be cautious during festive season,” Raut said.

The MNS celebrated dahi handi at midnight, where women volunteers formed a pyramid and broke the handi. At 7am, MNS workers broke the dahi handi at Khandke building in Dadar. At Kalachowkie, as MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar was not allowed to enter the Bhagat Singh ground, he broke it outside. The Mumbai Police later detained him for this action.

The Mumbai Police has booked four MNS workers at Worli under Section 188 of IPC for violation of order prohibiting public celebration of the festival. “”Four members of MNS have been arrested by Worli police for violation of the state norms against celebrating the festival last night,” said Dyaneshwar Chavan, additional commissioner of police, Central region.

MNS spokesperson Sandeep Deshpande, who organized the event at Dadar said: “It was the 50th year celebration at Khandke building and we celebrated it despite the ban by the government. We did not bow before this anti-Hindu Government,” said Deshpande. BJP legislator Ram Kadam who is well known for organising grand festivities and warned of defying the orders celebrated the festival at his house. Various outfits visited his house and danced on this occasion. Kadam said he wanted to break the handi with just five people but was not allowed.