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.

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.”

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."

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"

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.

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.”

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?”