Chaitanya Marpakwar
MUMBAI: A spat has erupted between Mahayuti partners Shiv Sena and BJP over a burqa distribution programme organised by Byculla MLA Yamini Jadhav in her constituency last week.
BJP city unit chief Ashish Shelar said his party did not agree with such programmes. Byculla has a large Muslim presence and the assembly election is a couple of months away.
Jadhav was routed in the Lok Sabha election that she fought from Mumbai South this summer, and in her Byculla assembly segment she trailed the winner by more than 45,000 votes.
Jadhav said her assembly was cosmopolitan and people from all communities lived there. She said she was only giving what people wanted and the burqa was a symbol of respect for Muslim women. She said she had been working for the Muslim community for years.
In the Lok Sabha election, Arvind Sawant of the Shiv Sena (UBT) defeated Jadhav. Analysts said Jadhav managed to turn around significant Marathi votes but it was the Muslim vote that helped Sawant get a decisive lead. Shiv Sena (UBT) functionary Sushma Andhare from the rival MVA said CM Eknath Shinde must now answer if what her party worker was doing was not appeasement.
Andhare asked why the Shiv Sena had suddenly woken up to reach out to Muslims. “Till recently you didn’t like the Muslim community and you had made life so difficult for them. Now suddenly you have woken up and started burqa distribution,” she said.
Shelar said the BJP did not endorse programmes like burqa distribution.
“They should make clear their stand on this, their party’s stand and the requirements of their constituency, but the BJP does not agree with such programmes,” he said.
Jadhav’s husband, Yashwant, is a former chairperson of the standing committee in the BMC. “We have helped the Muslim community even during the pandemic. Those opposing us now were silent during those days because we were on the other side,” he said.
BJP city unit chief Ashish Shelar said his party did not agree with such programmes. Byculla has a large Muslim presence and the assembly election is a couple of months away.
Jadhav was routed in the Lok Sabha election that she fought from Mumbai South this summer, and in her Byculla assembly segment she trailed the winner by more than 45,000 votes.
Jadhav said her assembly was cosmopolitan and people from all communities lived there. She said she was only giving what people wanted and the burqa was a symbol of respect for Muslim women. She said she had been working for the Muslim community for years.
In the Lok Sabha election, Arvind Sawant of the Shiv Sena (UBT) defeated Jadhav. Analysts said Jadhav managed to turn around significant Marathi votes but it was the Muslim vote that helped Sawant get a decisive lead. Shiv Sena (UBT) functionary Sushma Andhare from the rival MVA said CM Eknath Shinde must now answer if what her party worker was doing was not appeasement.
Andhare asked why the Shiv Sena had suddenly woken up to reach out to Muslims. “Till recently you didn’t like the Muslim community and you had made life so difficult for them. Now suddenly you have woken up and started burqa distribution,” she said.
Shelar said the BJP did not endorse programmes like burqa distribution.
“They should make clear their stand on this, their party’s stand and the requirements of their constituency, but the BJP does not agree with such programmes,” he said.
Jadhav’s husband, Yashwant, is a former chairperson of the standing committee in the BMC. “We have helped the Muslim community even during the pandemic. Those opposing us now were silent during those days because we were on the other side,” he said.