BMC's Big Action Against 'Illegal Dargah' After Raj Thackeray's Warning

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) conducted a demolition drive at the site of an 'illegal' dargah or tomb located off the Mahim coast on Thursday (March 23). Earlier, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Raj Thackeray had shared drone footage on Twitter of the alleged 'dargah' which was being built in Mahim creek. The Mumbai civic body's action comes just a day after the MNS chief made dramatic claims of an 'unauthorised dargah' being built in the Arabian Sea off Mahim. The MNS, on Twitter, also pressed on the issue along with a video.

Maharashtra | Demolition drive started at the encroached site of 'Dargah' amid heavy police deployment at Mahim beach in Mumbai after MNS chief Raj Thackeray yesterday alleged that a Dargah is being built here illegally. pic.twitter.com/G0yx2c2Wq2 — ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2023

Raj Thackeray raises alarm on 'illegal dargah'

The party's tweet read, "This unauthorized construction was done in the sea here of Mahim's Magdoom Baba Dargah. 2 years ago this was nothing. A new Hajili is being prepared here. It's going on in broad daylight, and yet the police, the municipality didn't see it?"

संपूर्ण व्हिडीओ : सन्मा. राजसाहेबांनी आज एक अत्यंत महत्त्वाची बाब समोर आणली... सरकारचं/प्रशासनाचं दुर्लक्ष झाल्यावर काय होतं ते पहा… माहीमच्या मगदूम बाबा दर्ग्याच्या इकडे समुद्रात हे अनधिकृत बांधकाम केलं. २ वर्षांपूर्वी हे काहीच नव्हतं. इथे नवीन हाजीअली तयार करणं सुरु आहे.… pic.twitter.com/BQ2CH1NmCb — MNS Adhikrut - मनसे अधिकृत (@mnsadhikrut) March 22, 2023

"Rajsaheb has requested Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister/Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Mumbai Police Commissioner. After seeing this, take immediate action, demolish this unauthorized construction. Otherwise, we will build a big Ganpati temple there. Whatever happens now will happen," it further read.

BMC razes 'illegal dargah' on small island in Mahim creek

On Thursday morning, a BMC team along with high security rushed a team to the spot and began a demolition drive. According to IANS, a team of BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) along with heavy police bandobast, a JCB, and other equipment, to halt construction on the so-called 'mazaar' (grave) of an unknown person that had appeared on a small island type area on the Mahim coast.

The BMC and police, after arriving at the scene, examined the ongoing construction and then went ahead with the demolition of any structures built. They managed to remove the flagpoles with green and white flags erected around the 'dargah' and then rolled the main structure down to dust with a bulldozer.

In the drone video shared by Raj Thackeray, the purported 'dargah' appeared to be covered with green cloth, garlands, and flower sheets. As per an IANS report, the site would attract devotees who would walk across the creek to offer their prayers.

BMC's swift action was prompted by Raj Thackeray's appeals and security warning to the state government, Mumbai police, and civic body.