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BJP to go ahead with maha aartis in Mumbai
August 31, 2003 19:29 IST
Dismissing reports that the programme of holding maha aartis to highlight the Democratic Front government's 'failure' to tackle terrorist activities had been shelved, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday said ten such aartis would be held on Monday at various Ganesh mandals in northeast Mumbai.
BJP vice-president Gopinath Munde would lead the one at the Ganesh mandal, popularly known as Chembur ka Raja, in north-east Mumbai at 1900 IST, party sources said.
Slide Shows: Ganpati Bappa Morya Where Ganesha Emerges FromThe other maha aartis would be held in the suburbs of Ghatkopar and Mulund and would be led by among others BJP MP Kirit Somaiya, former BJP city unit chief Vinod Tawde and newly appointed city president Bhai Girkar, the sources added.
Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde had on Saturday told journalists that hooliganism would not be tolerated during the maha aartis.
The concept of maha aartis came to the fore during the communal riots of 1992-93 when the BJP and Shiv Sena organised such aartis to highlight the plight of the people who suffered in the clashes.
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