Jain muni bridging gaps between Raj Thackeray and BJP?
Jain sage Naypadmasagar Maharaj, who commands influence over 18 lakh votes in Mumbai metropolitan area, paid a visit to Shivteerth- the new residence of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday morning. Before anybody could guess, the MNS press release said their leader and Maharaj discussed social, political, and religious issues for about three hours. Hence, the meeting cannot go unnoticed in the political circle.
When asked, Maharaj said he came in to bless Raj Thackeray and wish him a happy new home, said Maharaj, whose previous visits to the residence of MNS chief are difficult to recall.
This development is not so simple, straightforward, and purely unintentional- if a few incidents from the recent past are recalled.
Raj Thackeray has recently moved into his new home. He may have performed the pooja properly, but he did not appear to have organized a house warming ceremony inviting his near and dear ones. Had he done so, his cousin and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and his family, other relatives, and close friends from various fields would have been invited. A debate could have ensued over the absence of those who didn’t make it.
Maybe Raj has something else on his mind. He seems to be more inclined to show his new house by inviting selected friends and other dignitaries. Probably as part of it, cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, the leader of opposition Devendra Fadnavis and his family visited his home recently. Although Fadnavis’s visit provided fodder to the political gossip mills on the probable tie-up between BJP and MNS, it was promptly denied by the BJP. Even before the gossip mills stop churning out more on this, the visit by Naypadmasagar Maharaj has surfaced.
Maharaj is founder of JIO
Naypadmasagar Maharaj is known as the founder of a very powerful Jain International Organization (JIO). This organization is very strong since it represents a very powerful section from the mighty builders’ lobby in Mumbai metropolitan area, besides big contractors, diamond traders, capitalists, big stock market brokers from the Jain community. Political parties vie for their patronage as members of the community maintain a firm grip over the financial capital of India.
The Jain community consistently demands a ban on the slaughter of animals and birds during the Paryushan Parva. Naypadmasagar Maharaj had in the past expressed displeasure over lifting the two-day ban on the slaughter during the holy Paryushan Parva by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). He advocates his demand for a meat-free society as well.
Clash with Shiv Sena
In 2015, a huge controversy erupted when the Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation (MBMC) decided to do away with the eight-day ban on slaughter during the Paryushan Parva. The issue reached such serious proportions during the subsequent municipal elections that the community members largely voted in favor of the BJP taking its tally to 61 out of 95 seats. This happened only because of Maharaj’s appeal to vote for the BJP. The biggest casualty was Shiv Sena which got just 22 seats. The Sena had complained with the State Election Commission against Maharaj for openly appealing to vote for the BJP.
Unnerved Sena camp launched a blistering attack against Maharaj terming him as a political goon. Sena spokesman and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut had alleged that the BJP won the elections using ‘money and muni’. Raut had compared him to controversial Muslim preacher Zakir Naik saying both of them issue illegal fatwas in the name of religion. Maharaj reacted saying he was distressed over the allegations. Rejecting allegations of helping the BJP, he said, any citizen can express his views openly. We were impressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for a vegetarian lifestyle. That is why we supported the BJP.
Maharaj had also expressed his displeasure over the Shiv Sena-ruled BMC’s decision to reduce the ban on slaughter from four to two days.
Against this backdrop, the visit of Naypadmasagar Maharaj to Raj Thackeray’s residence and the fact that he spent about three hours there discussing social, religious, and political issues does not go unnoticed.
Fadnavis’s meeting with Maharaj and BMC polls
To elaborate further on the political side of Maharaj, in the melee of BMC elections held in 2017, the then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had a meeting with him apparently to seek his blessings and support for the BJP. It was said that due to his intervention BJP could win 82 seats coming close to Shiv Sena which got 84 seats. The meetings between Maharaj and Fadnavis have been a regular feature and the last one could be seen in May this year.
Politically, the Shiv Sena cannot afford to ignore Maharaj’s visit to Raj Thackeray’s home, especially when the BMC elections are around the corner followed by Thane, Navi Mumbai, Pune Municipal elections.
BJP looking for a new partner
The BJP is looking for a new political partner to fight against Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) that also comprises NCP and Congress. For that Raj Thackeray-led MNS can be a friend in need. MNS also seems to have been facing some limitations, reasons of which are well-known. Both BJP and MNS have a common political enemy that is Shiv Sena.
Against this backdrop, Naypadmasagar Maharaj could not have spent three hours at Maharaj Raj’s house had it been so simple and straight. It also throws ample indications that he might be playing a bigger role in building bridges between the BJP and MNS. Whether MNS accepts the open alliance with the BJP is a big issue, considering the political implications it may have to face. The BJP camp may be wary over the past incidents when MNS cadre opposed north Indians and supported the cause of Marathi manoos.
In such a scenario the experiment of political compromise can be assessed differently. As a part of an understanding, BJP can decide for tacit support to MNS by not putting up candidates against the MNS. This may be paid back by MNS in the same manner. Only time will reveal what’s going on behind the curtain.