DJs, lasers are health risks: Raj Thackeray's warning ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi
Raj Thackeray warned that social media could inflame tensions ahead of the Ganesh festival. He said such distractions were deepening social divisions and deflecting attention from economic concerns.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday alleged that social media was being used to create anger in society and keep citizens occupied with caste and religious disputes. He urged people to stay alert ahead of the Ganesh festival and not fall into attempts to trigger communal tension and divert attention from socio-economic issues.
Addressing party office-bearers in Thane, Thackeray also criticised the use of high-decibel sound systems, commonly called "DJs", and laser lights during festivals. He said these posed serious health and vision risks, and accused the Maharashtra government of enforcing bans on them selectively.
"The atmosphere is being vitiated, and anger is being created in society by heating up the situation through social media. I have the greatest fear that riots will be created during the upcoming Ganesh festival," he claimed.
Referring to the ongoing debate over the use of high-powered sound systems, he also targeted Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over what he called selectively enforced bans on "DJ", mentioning Nagpur and Pune.
Thackeray also attacked the Centre on the economy. He asked that if first quarter GDP growth was 7.8 per cent, why people were being advised against foreign trips and buying gold. Citing what he described as a government report, he claimed that 503 companies had shut down their operations in India between 2021 and 2026.
He objected to political messaging in public offices and said that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi's picture belongs in government spaces, it should not be placed alongside revered figures such as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Dr BR Ambedkar and Mahatma Jyotirao Phule. Last week, a criminal case was registered against his son Amit Thackeray and others for allegedly removing a photograph of PM Modi at the Government Polytechnic Pune.
Raj Thackeray also raised the issue of language politics, claiming that non-Marathi speakers were being manipulated to provoke disputes over language.
As he was leaving the stage, an MNS worker raised the slogan "Inquilab Zindabad". Thackeray stopped, returned to the podium and asked who had raised it. When a party worker came forward, he backed the slogan, saying it was first raised by freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, and encouraged MNS workers to use it freely.
In his speech, Thackeray linked social media, festival-related tensions, the economy, public messaging and language politics to what he said were efforts to distract people and sharpen divisions.