Eye on BMC elections, BJP pursues Marathi manoos agenda

The BJP-led state government has decided to power ahead with its well-orchestrated agenda keeping in mind the BMC elections scheduled in 2017.

Part of its strategy was the ban on slaughter of bullocks and making screening of Marathi movies at prime time in multiplexes compulsory.

"Most of the important portfolios are with the BJP ministers so they deliberately want to snatch the Shiv Sena's and MNS's Marathi manoos theme by approving the Marathi pride-related issue. That includes pushing and pursuing the proposal of getting Marathi noble language status from the central government and showing Marathi movies in multiplexes during prime time. It will not only strengthen its vote bank but Sena and MNS will not have any concrete issues. And, the BJP is 99.9% prepared to go solo in the BMC elections. Therefore, it is slowly and gradually pursuing its hidden agenda," said a political observer.

State advocate-general Sunil Manohar's recent statement that the, "government may ban slaughtering of other than cow, bulls and oxen animals also" stirred a controversy. However, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis quickly clarified that that the state government had no intention to impose a ban on goat slaughter.

Pratap Asabe, senior journalist told dna that the BJP's advocate general's statement was made deliberately to test the public's mood. "But they will not succeed in its agenda. In fact, it will backfire. Because of the beef ban, within a month the rate of mutton has become Rs 450 per kg from Rs 400 per kg. Most people will not be able to afford to buy this high rate mutton," said Asabe.

NCP legislator Jitendra Awhad said that the BJP led government working on RSS given agenda. "They want to make Maharashtra a vegetarian state. Very soon, they will impose a ban on consumption of onion and garlic also. It has already been restricted in some part of the Malabar Hill. This is nothing but the imposing of cultural hegemony," Awhad said.