Dharavi mosque demolition spurs political fisticuffs between BJP and MVA | Mumbai news

MUMBAI: The BMC’s action against the illegal section of a mosque in Dharavi, which was opposed by hundreds of Muslims, led to political fisticuffs between the BJP and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi on Saturday.

While the BJP slammed members of the Muslim community for creating trouble, opposition parties trained their guns on the ruling parties, saying the issue was a ploy to trigger communal trouble. They also lambasted the state home department led by deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Hundreds of residents blocked roads in Dharavi on Saturday, as the BMC began demolishing an illegal construction on the premises of a local mosque. The situation was defused only after it called off the demolition following an undertaking by the mosque’s trustees.

All sorts of politicians subsequently got into the act, among them BJP leaders Kirit Somaiya and Nitesh Rane, who said it was an attempt to foment trouble. “Jihadi people in Dharavi did not allow the civic body’s action,” said Rane while Somaiya said this was “land jihad”, which the government ought not to tolerate.

On the other hand, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray and city Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad questioned the motive behind the BMC action so close to the elections. “There is unity among the people of Dharavi and the last resort is to create riots,” said Aaditya, who added that this was done was with the aim of “dividing the Dharavi Bachao Samiti and keeping Mumbai in Adani’s hands” and also to foment riots.

“Both religions want peace,” he said. “Wherever the BJP is losing, it stirs up trouble to create a religious divide. None of them are speaking on the atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh and how the Bangladesh cricket team was allowed in India.”

Gaikwad, who was a four-term MLA from Dharavi before she won the Lok Sabha elections, said the civic body was deliberately taking action despite her requests to put the action on hold. “I had met CM Eknath Gaikwad earlier on Friday and requested him to stay the action,” she said. She also made an appeal to the public from the police station, asking them to go back.

MVA leaders Supriya Sule and Sanjay Raut trained the guns on the home department led by deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, accusing it of failure in preventing communal tension in several areas of the state. Responding to this, Fadnavis said that this was not the first time action was taken against the mosque. “Even earlier, a notice was sent to the trustees about the demolition of the illegal portion. I hope nobody will try to prevent the action by citing a law-and-order issue,” he told media persons.