Special Correspondent
Mumbai: At MNS’s Gudi Padwa rally, party president Raj Thackeray once again criticized the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. He also raised doubts about EVMs, alleging that votes cast for MNS did not appear in the final tally.
Speaking at the rally, Raj Thackeray said, “Some people call us a defeated party. The elections are over, everything has been settled. But I want to thank everyone who voted for MNS. I also thank those whose votes did not appear in the EVMs despite voting for us. Whatever happened is in the past. Now, I have a lot to say.”
He added, “After the elections, several topics were discussed, and I received many calls with good wishes. Interestingly, I got several calls today. I understand the significance of receiving them today. If it is meant as advice to be cautious, then so be it.”
Referring to a recent incident, he stated, “A few days ago, Bala Nandgaonkar brought me water. I told him I wouldn’t drink it. Some newly emerged Hindutva supporters thought I was insulting the Kumbh Mela.”
Thackeray then shifted his focus to environmental concerns, saying, “Our country’s rivers are in a dire state. We revere them as goddesses, yet our leaders continue to neglect them. The first person to speak about cleaning the Ganga was Rajiv Gandhi when he became Prime Minister. Since then, we have been ‘cleaning’ the Ganga, but has it really improved?”
He emphasized the need for reforms, stating, “Times have changed, the population has increased. What was appropriate a thousand years ago may not be practical today. Why not designate a separate site for rituals instead of polluting rivers? People can adapt. When the police started cracking down on drunk driving, people switched to taking taxis after drinking, didn’t they?”
Addressing the claim that 650 million people attended the Maha Kumbh, Thackeray mocked the figures, saying, “That’s half of India’s population! Let’s exclude VIPs and VVIPs—where did the rest sit, playing games on the riverbanks?”
He then turned his attention to Maharashtra’s river pollution crisis, stating, “The condition of rivers in Maharashtra is alarming. The Savitri River in Konkan is filled with chemicals. There are 311 river basins across the country, and pollution has put them at risk. In Maharashtra alone, 55 river basins are severely polluted.”
Thackeray listed some of the most polluted rivers, including Ulhas, Mithi, Pavana, Bhima, Mula-Mutha, Girna, Kundal
