Amid rising tensions and economic uncertainty, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray delivered a stark warning to his cadre: don’t let religious conflict divert attention from the real issues hurting ordinary people.

Key facts

  • Raj Thackeray addressed party office-bearers in Thane on September 6, 2026
  • Expressed fear of riots during upcoming Ganesh festival
  • Questioned India’s 7.8% GDP growth amid corporate shutdowns
  • Urged Hindu and Muslim communities to remain alert

A Call for Vigilance

Speaking at Shri Gadkari Rangayatan in Thane, Thackeray didn’t mince words. He described how social media is heating up societal anger, deliberately vitiating the atmosphere. His greatest fear? That riots could erupt during the Ganesh festival—a time traditionally marked by celebration, not conflict.

“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 said.

There was urgency in his message—a plea for citizens to see through what he called traps designed to incite religious division. He specifically addressed both Hindu and Muslim communities, asking them to stay alert and not fall into these distractions.

Economic Concerns Take Center Stage

Behind the communal warning lay deeper economic anxieties. Thackeray pointed to India’s reported 7.8% GDP growth in the first quarter with skepticism. Why, he asked, are people being told to avoid foreign trips and gold purchases if the economy is so robust?

He cited a government report claiming 503 companies shut down operations in India between 2021 and 2026—a statistic that painted a contrasting picture to official growth narratives.

Political and Cultural Tensions

Thackeray also waded into linguistic politics, alleging that non-Marathi speakers are being manipulated to spark language disputes. And in a pointed cultural critique, he argued that while Prime Minister Modi’s picture can appear in government spaces, it shouldn’t share space with figures like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Dr. B R Ambedkar, and Mahatma Jyotirao Phule.

The remark came just days after a criminal case was registered against his son, Amit Thackeray, for allegedly removing a photograph of PM Modi at Government Polytechnic Pune.