Shiv Sena claims superstition-linked incidents like black magic on rise in Maha post-Shinde govt formation

The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) claimed superstition-driven incidents like black magic and witchcraft are on the rise in Maharashtra ever since the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government assumed office in June last year as it highlighted certain incidents involving Opposition leaders.

According to a report of PTI, In an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana, the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of the Shiv Sena said there are talks that when Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and 40 MLAs belonging to the rebel camp went to the renowned Kamakhya temple in Guwahati, they performed "acts of black magic and sacrificed male buffaloes.

This, it is told, was to ensure stability of the post of chief minister, said the Marathi daily. It appears that after the Shinde-Fadnavis khoke sarkar (a reference to Shinde-Fadnavis government) came to power, instances of superstition like black magic, witchcraft, are on the rise and there are talks of these acts in Mantralaya (state secretarait) and government offices, said the editorial.

However, the Marathi publication sought to connect recent incidents involving Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders Supriya Sule, Ajit Pawar, Dhananjay Munde and Congress MLA and former minister Balasaheb Thorat with black magic and asked what does this chain of incidents indicates, PTI reported.