Mumbai: Arif Naseem Khan’s Poster Found on Lord Ganesha’s Photo in Chandivali, BJP Calls It 'Disrespect to Hindus (Watch Video)

A political controversy has erupted in Mumbai ahead of the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections as BJP leader Amit Malviya shared a video on social media showing a poster of Congress candidate Arif Naseem Khan placed over an image of Lord Ganesha. Malviya criticized the Congress, calling it "the new Muslim League" and accusing it of disrespecting the Hindu community in an attempt to appeal to Muslim voters. 

In an outright insult to the Hindu community in Maharashtra, Congress workers campaigning for Naseem Khan in Chandivali, stuck his poster on Ganpati Bappa’s picture.

Ganpati Bappa is revered as विघ्नहर्ता and Maharashtrians, among others, have deep emotional attachment to the… pic.twitter.com/Kei7wVoyVG

— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) November 14, 2024

He described the incident as “Vote Jihad” and highlighted the cultural importance of Lord Ganesha, especially in Maharashtra, where Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated widely. The issue has intensified the already charged atmosphere in Maharashtra, where all 288 assembly constituencies are set to vote on November 23. With high stakes for both the BJP and Congress, the controversy has added fuel to the ongoing campaign narratives as each party seeks to secure a majority in one of India's most populous and politically significant states.