Maharashtra Polls: Congress Promises To Ban RSS? Party Dismisses 'Fake' Letter, Says BJP 'Resorting To Falsehoods'

Maharashtra Election 2024: Congress has refuted BJP's claim that it promised the All India Ulama Board to ban the RSS. The party termed the allegations as false and accused the BJP of misleading the public.

File Photo of Maharashtra Congress Nana Patole

Source : PTI

Maharashtra Election 2024: Maharashtra Congress on Saturday categorically denied issuing a letter as claimed by BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, which suggested that the party had assured the All India Ulama Board of a ban on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The Congress took to X (formerly Twitter) to refute the claims, stating, “The panicked, corrupt alliance, seeing its defeat, has resorted to spreading falsehoods. They have created fake photos of something that never happened, an event that never took place, misleading the public. Even the false signature of Maharashtra Congress President Shri Nana Patole has been used on this letter. No matter how many lies are told, the truth will come out.”

पराभव समोर दिसू लागल्यामुळे गोंधळलेल्या भ्रष्ट युतीने जी गोष्ट कधी घडलीच नाही, जे पत्र कधी गेलंच नाही त्याचे खोटे फोटो तयार करून लोकांची दिशाभूल करण्याचा प्रयत्न सुरू केला आहे. महाराष्ट्र काँग्रेस अध्यक्ष श्री. नाना पटोलेजी यांची खोटी सहीदेखील या पत्रावर केली गेलीय. पण कितीही… pic.twitter.com/fzgqwRHRJS

— Maharashtra Congress (@INCMaharashtra) November 6, 2024

Somaiya, in his claims, alleged that Maharashtra Congress had agreed to 17 demands of the All India Ulama Board, one of which involved a ban on the RSS. He wrote in a post, "Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole has accepted the 17 demands of the All India Ulama Board, one of which is a ban on the RSS."

राष्ट्रीय स्वयंसेवक संघ RSS पर प्रतिबंध लगाने का आश्वासन महाराष्ट्र काँग्रेस ने ऑल इंडिया उलमा बोर्ड को दिया

महाराष्ट्र काँग्रेस अध्यक्ष नाना पटोले ने ऑल इंडिया उलमा बोर्ड की 17 मांगे मान्य की, उसमे

RSS पर प्रतिबंध लगाना यह भी एक मांग है@BJP4India pic.twitter.com/Oay0AUD9Xm

— Kirit Somaiya (@KiritSomaiya) November 9, 2024

Slamming the BJP for 'orchestrating' Hindu-Muslim divide, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi told news agency ANI, "I have not seen the letter and have not heard about any of their demands. Show me any one photo where this letter has been given to any of the leaders. BJP is orchestrating this divide between Hindus and Muslims...The issues in front of Maharashtra are the issues of unemployment, injustice against women, farmers...There is an attempt to create an atmosphere of fear in Maharashtra. Bollywood actors are getting threat calls, a politician was murdered in broad daylight...The BJP and 'Maha-jhoothi' alliance are creating these kinds of atmosphere in Maharashtra...I openly challenge which Ulema Board is this which is verified, registered and which has written this letter"

#WATCH | Mumbai, Maharashtra: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi says, "I have not seen the letter and have not heard about any of their demands. Show me any one photo where this letter has been given to any of the leaders. BJP is orchestrating this divide between Hindus… pic.twitter.com/wTGeZnD8dl

— ANI (@ANI) November 9, 2024

BJP's Kirit Somaya Claims TISS Report Predicts 54% Drop In Mumbai's Hindu Population By 2051

Additionally, Somaiya cited a purported report by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), claiming that by 2051, the Hindu population in Mumbai would drop to 54 per cent due to the increasing number of illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya immigrants. "Slums in areas like Govandi, Mankhurd, Dharavi, and Kurla have seen a rise in Rohingya migrants," he said, while sharing the purported TISS report.

Hindu population in Mumbai will reduce by 54% by 2051, number of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas is increasing:

Tata Institute of Social Science TISS report @BJP4India pic.twitter.com/V5ycYEF8Sy

— Kirit Somaiya (@KiritSomaiya) November 9, 2024

He highlighted figures from the purported report, noting a decline in the Hindu population from 1961 to 2011 and a significant increase in the Muslim population during the same period. According to projections, by 2051, the Hindu population in Mumbai would fall below 54 per cent, while the Muslim population could increase to around 30 per cent.

Speaking to ANI, Somaiya remarked, “PM Modi says that if we are united, we are safe. UP CM Yogi Adityanath says if we are divided, we will be cut. I have a report from TISS which indicates that Mumbai is seeing a rise in Rohingya and Bangladeshi infiltrators. The Hindu population is projected to drop to 54 per cent. That’s why we say, if we are united, we are safe.”

#WATCH | Mumbai: BJP leader Kirit Somaiya says, "... According to a report by Tata Institute of Social Sciences, the way the number of Rohingyas and Bangladeshi infiltrators are increasing in Mumbai, the Hindu population in the city will be reduced to 54%... Mumbai Congress… pic.twitter.com/ixPArB8Qqf

— ANI (@ANI) November 9, 2024

Somaiya also criticised Nana Patole, saying, “The Mumbai Congress President talks about identifying illegal mosques. The Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole has stated that they will not allow a law against love jihad and will withdraw all cases related to love jihad. That’s why the voters have decided: if we are united, we are safe.”

PM Modi's 'Ek hai toh safe hai' slogan has drawn sharp criticism from the Uddhav faction. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut remarked, “Why does PM Modi feel the need for such slogans? ‘If we are divided, we will be cut’ did not work, and the people of Maharashtra rejected it. Now he says, ‘If we are united, we are safe.’ Who is he trying to unite, and whom is he trying to keep safe?”