Burqa ban not demand of Shiv Sena or Uddhav, says Sanjay Raut
Mumbai: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut has clarified that the demand for burqa ban made in an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana was not that of the Sena or its chief Uddhav Thackeray.
In his weekly column published in Saamana's Sunday edition, Raut, who is the Marathi daily's executive editor, said, "The burqa ban was not the demand of Shiv Sena or Uddhav Thackeray. Saamana just published an analysis of the developments in Sri Lanka."
A Saamana editorial on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to follow Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena's footsteps and ban burqas and other face-veils in India considering the "threat" they pose to the nation's security.
Sri Lanka's decision came in the wake of the Easter Sunday terror attacks that killed over 250 people.
As the editorial created a flutter and drew sharp reactions from various quarters, senior Sena leader and MLC Neelam Gorhe on Wednesday said it was not the official stand of the party, which is an ally of the BJP.
"It could be an individual's view...it is not the official stand of Shiv Sena," she said in a statement. Hundreds of Muslim women on Friday protested against the Sena mouthpiece at Mumbra near here.
Most of the women, who were wearing burqas or veils, shouted slogans against Raut, who is a Rajya Sabha member, and carried placards with the message 'Samvidhan Bachao, Desh Bachao' (save the Constitution, save the country).
On Thursday, veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar said he was not averse to enacting a law banning the burqa if it was accompanied with a similar action against the 'ghunghat' system prevalent among women in Rajasthan.
Meanwhile, a Mumbai-based advocate on Saturday approached police and demanded action against Thackeray, Raut and others for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.
Santacruz police station's senior inspector Shriram Koregoankar said they have received an application from advocate Munsif Khan but no case was registered.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
