Pune: “Who Would Drink That?” – Raj Thackeray Refuses Kumbh Water, Questions River Cleanliness
Pimpri Chinchwad, 9th March 2025: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday criticized the central government for failing to clean the Ganga river, questioning the effectiveness of the decades-long initiative to restore the holy river’s purity.
Speaking at an event in Pimpri-Chinchwad to mark MNS’s 19th foundation day, Thackeray recalled an incident where party leader Bala Nandgaonkar brought him water from the Kumbh Mela. “He handed me a ‘kamandal’ filled with Ganga water and asked me to drink it. But after seeing how people were bathing and scrubbing themselves in the river, I refused. Who would want to drink that?” he remarked.
Thackeray expressed concerns over large gatherings at religious events, especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We just went through a time when everyone was wearing masks to stay safe, yet we haven’t learned anything. People are still gathering in huge numbers for ritualistic baths. Faith should be meaningful and based on logic, not blind superstition,” he said.
He also criticized some of his own party members from Mumbai for skipping an important meeting to attend the Kumbh Mela. “When they returned, I asked them if they bathed after coming back and why they felt the need to go there in the first place. If people believe that sins can be washed away in the river, what does that say about their actions?” he added.
Thackeray further pointed out that despite numerous government initiatives, no river in the country is truly clean. “For decades, we’ve called our rivers sacred, but not a single one is free from pollution. The Ganga cleaning project has been in discussion since Rajiv Gandhi’s time, yet nothing substantial has been achieved,” he said.
Thackeray’s remarks on the Kumbh Mela and Ganga cleanliness sparked strong reactions from BJP and Shiv Sena leaders.
Despite the backlash, Thackeray stood firm on his views, emphasizing that political leaders deliberately create religious divisions to divert attention from pressing development issues.
