Across India, violence is pre-planned and politically motivated. Sanjay Raut, a Shiv Sena legislator

*Paromita Das

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut called the nationwide incidents of violence “pre-planned and politically motivated” on Sunday, emphasizing that Hindu-Muslim riots are being instigated because other issues are no longer working.

In response to recent incidents of violence on Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti, Raut stated that the country’s atmosphere is being deliberately sullied in order to gain political advantage in elections.

“Such incidents on Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti have never happened before; these festivals were celebrated peacefully,” he suggested.

Before labelling the incidents pre-planned and politically motivated, the Shiv Sena MP stated, “It’s being done to incite Hindu-Muslim riots just because issues like India-Pak, Surgical strikes, and Ram Mandir will not work.”
Sanjay Raut said, “There were attempts to jeopardise peace in Maharashtra, but people and police are peaceful here.” He was referring to MNS chief Raj Thackeray, who has been calling for a ban on loudspeakers in mosques. Some people were on a mission to incite riots in the name of Ram and Hanuman through the state’s ‘New Owaisi’…’Hindu Owaisi’… That will not happen.” “I have not taken anybody’s name,” he clarified, “but whatever work BJP made to do AIMIM’s Owaisi to win UP elections, the same is being asked to do from Maharashtra’s ‘New Hindu Owaisi’ by the BJP.” Thackeray has given Maharashtra Police a deadline of May 3 to remove loudspeakers from mosques.
To protest ‘azaan,’ his party has installed loudspeakers and played Hanuman Chalisa at high decibel levels.