Maharashtra Navnirman Seva chief Raj Thackeray has targeted Chief Minister Eknath Shinde over an alleged obscene dance performance at a public meeting for his election campaign in Dombivili on Sunday. Raj Thackeray, who is alleged to harbour "anti-North Indian" sentiments, compared the dance performance with those held in "Uttar Pradesh and Bihar".
"Do we want to turn Maharashtra into Uttar Pradesh and Bihar? Yesterday someone sent me a clip. A woman is dancing to a Bhojpuri song at the Chief Minister's meeting. People come and a woman is dancing to a Bhojpuri song for their entertainment. There are posters of the Chief Minister in the meeting with the name of the candidate written on it," Raj Thackeray lashed out.
"This is the Ladli Behan Yojana. Which path are we walking? This kind of dance used to be performed by women in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar; but never here... This has started here now. We have started bringing such girls to dance at our political meetings," Raj Thackeray said.
Maharashtra Polls Dance Controversy
Last Sunday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during an election campaign rally for Shiv Sena candidate Mangesh Kudalkar in Nehru Nagar, Kurla. Just before the public meeting began, a woman was seen dancing to a Bhojpuri song on the stage.
Now, the opposition is questioning Chief Minister Eknath Shinde over this video and is asking whether this is the development of 'Ladli Behna' scheme in the state. The Maharashtra state government provides financial assistance of Rs 1,500 to selected applicants under the scheme.
Devendra Fadnavis's Defence Of Raj Thackeray
The BJP, which is backing Raj Thackeray's son Amit Thackeray on the Mahim Assembly seat going against its ally Shiv Sena, earlier defended its move. BJP leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that it was supporting the MNS because Raj Thackeray had embraced the path of Hindutva.
The Mahayuti is also supporting Bala Nandgaonkar of Raj Thackeray's MNS in the Shivdi constituency.