Mumbai Mayor Will Be Marathi, Chant Vande Mataram
After the issue was raised by the opposition, Mr. Fadnavis reiterated that the next Mumbai mayor would be from the Mahayuti alliance and would be a Hindu and a Marathi.
Mumbai: As the debate over the religion and language of Mumbai’s next mayor intensifies, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena on Monday asserted that the mayor would be a Marathi who chants Vande Mataram. Earlier, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said the next Mumbai mayor would be a Hindu and a Marathi.
The remarks come amid efforts by leaders of the ruling Mahayuti alliance to counter the narrative pushed by Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) that a North Indian would be elected mayor if the alliance wins the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.
“Mumbai’s mayor will be one who chants Vande Mataram. Mahayuti’s mayor will love the city and work for its development, and will be a Marathi manoos,” Shiv Sena spokesperson Shaina NC said.
Ms. Shaina also accused the opposition of practising “politics of hate” and alleged that Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray held “regressive views”. “It was Aaditya Thackeray who inducted Rashid Mamu. He joined Umar Khalid at the Gateway of India protest, despite Uddhav Thackeray blocking him earlier when he was chief minister. They are plotting to turn Mumbai into Mamdani — or, as New York likes to say, make it into Mumbai. We will never allow that to happen,” she said.
Rashid Mamu is a former mayor of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (earlier known as Aurangabad), who joined the Shiv Sena (UBT) last month. The BJP and Shiv Sena have accused him of opposing the name change of the city and holding protests in which ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans were raised.
Umar Khalid had participated in a protest at Gateway of India in January 2020 against the reported attack on students inside Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University. Aaditya Thackeray had visited the protest site in support.
Earlier, the Shiv Sena (UBT)–MNS alliance had accused the BJP-led Mahayuti of attempting to separate Mumbai from Maharashtra and weaken the Marathi community in the city. However, the Thackeray cousins have so far avoided engaging in a direct Hindutva debate, as they are seeking support from the Muslim community in the BMC elections.
After the issue was raised by the opposition, Mr. Fadnavis reiterated that the next Mumbai mayor would be from the Mahayuti alliance and would be a Hindu and a Marathi.
