‘Murder of democracy’: Raj Thackeray targets BJP over ‘Rs 500 cr payment’ audio clip

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Friday accused the BJP of "murdering" democracy by allegedly exerting pressure on the media and using religious polarisation to divert public attention. The barb came after an audio clip triggered a political row over claims of a Rs 500 crore payment to Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange.

In a post on X, Thackeray said the 29-minute recording, which has gone viral in Maharashtra, allegedly featured BJP office-bearers, a senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) functionary and social media influencers discussing political strategies, media pressure and ways to divert attention from sensitive issues by fuelling religious polarisation.

“The chief minister has tried to buy time by saying he’s called for a forensic report on the audio clip, making a show of justice,” Thackeray said, referring to Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis's announcement of a forensic examination. “But if you actually listen to the conversation in this, you’ll realize it’s nothing short of a murder and rape of democracy itself!” he added.

Thackeray said the alleged Rs 500 crore payment mentioned in the recording required an explanation but argued that the broader allegations about attempts to influence the media and public discourse also deserved scrutiny. He urged Fadnavis to investigate the conversations allegedly captured in the clip, rather than limiting the inquiry to verifying the recording's authenticity.

The controversy erupted after Jarange released a portion of the recording on Thursday, alleging a conspiracy to silence him and weaken his agitation for Maratha reservation. In one segment, a woman allegedly claims that Rs 500 crore had been delivered to Jarange through Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde, son of deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde.

The recording also purportedly contains discussions about Jarange's growing political influence ahead of the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections and strategies to counter his agitation in the Marathwada region. Fadnavis has said the audio clips and conversations would undergo a thorough forensic examination. Shiv Sena leaders have also sought an investigation, while BJP leaders have questioned the recording's authenticity and the timing of its release. BJP IT minister Ashish Shelar called for an inquiry into how the clip was leaked and reached Jarange, while party spokesperson Navnath Ban suggested it could be AI-generated.