MOHAMMAD ZIYAUDDIN
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Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray stirred controversy during the party's 19th foundation day speech by mocking devotees who participated in the holy dip at the Sangam during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.
Mimicking the bathing ritual, Thackeray questioned the cleanliness of the Ganga river and criticized faith-based traditions, calling for people to differentiate between belief and blind superstition.
'I Wouldn’t Even Touch That Water': Raj Thackeray on Ganga Bathing Ritual
In his speech, Thackeray mimicked devotees performing the snan (holy dip) and expressed his disdain for the practice, saying:
"People should break free from superstition... I wouldn’t even touch the dirty water of the Ganga, where millions have bathed."
He further revealed that he refused to drink water brought from the Maha Kumbh Mela, mocking MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar for offering it to him.
"On social media, we see people scrubbing themselves while bathing in the Ganga, and here, Bala Nandgaonkar is offering me that water to drink! Tell me, who would drink that water?"
'Understand the Difference Between Faith and Superstition'
Thackeray questioned the logic behind massive crowds at the Kumbh Mela, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I have been hearing about cleaning the Ganga since Rajiv Gandhi’s time, yet it’s still dirty. No river in India is clean. The country just recovered from a pandemic, yet people are crowding the Kumbh Mela for a dip. Understand the difference between faith and superstition. Step out of blind faith and start thinking."
He also recalled how several MNS office-bearers skipped a party meeting in Mumbai to attend the Kumbh Mela, adding sarcastically:
"I asked them – why commit sins in the first place? And when they returned, I even asked if they had taken a bath."
'Rivers Abroad Are Crystal Clear, Ours Are Polluted'
Thackeray also compared Indian rivers to those abroad, pointing out that countries with no religious reverence for rivers have cleaner waterways.
"When we travel abroad, we see crystal-clear rivers. They don’t call rivers their ‘mothers,’ yet those rivers are clean. Meanwhile, in India, we dump polluted water into our rivers."
Thackeray’s Remarks Spark Debate
Thackeray’s comments have sparked a strong reaction on social media, with many calling his statements disrespectful to Hindu traditions. Others have supported his stance, arguing that religious sentiments should not overshadow environmental responsibility and rational thinking.
