Mumbai: BJP leader and former MP Navneet Rana on Sunday launched a sharp attack on AIMIM leader Imtiaz Jaleel, asserting that “your seven generations can never paint Maharashtra green,” responding to his recent remarks defending a controversial statement made by party colleague Sahar Shaikh in Mumbra.
Speaking to reporters, Rana said, “We are devotees of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Your seven generations can never paint Maharashtra green,” rejecting AIMIM’s political narrative and accusing the party of attempting to create divisions through provocative messaging.
Her comments came after Jaleel said that the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) would “paint the entire Maharashtra green,” while backing Sahar Shaikh’s remark that “Mumbra will be painted green” following her victory in the Thane civic polls.
The controversy began when Shaikh, who won from Ward 30 in the Thane Municipal Corporation elections held on January 15, claimed that AIMIM would expand its presence across Mumbai in the next five years, using the phrase “Mumbra will be painted green.” The statement drew sharp reactions from the BJP and Shiv Sena, who accused the AIMIM of making a communal pitch.
Following the backlash, the Mumbra police issued Shaikh a notice under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), cautioning her against making statements that could inflame public sentiments. Shaikh later submitted a written apology, stating that her remarks were misinterpreted and were not intended to convey any communal meaning.
Defending Shaikh, AIMIM leader Imtiaz Jaleel accused the police of selective action and clarified that the reference to “green” symbolised the party’s flag and political growth, not a communal message. “We will paint Maharashtra green,” Jaleel said, reiterating AIMIM’s ambition to expand its political footprint across the state.
Rana, however, dismissed the clarification and said Maharashtra’s identity, history and legacy could not be challenged through political symbolism. She also accused AIMIM of deliberately courting controversy to polarise voters.
The political exchange comes amid AIMIM’s improved performance in the Thane civic polls, where the party won five seats, while the Congress failed to secure a single seat and the Shiv Sena (UBT) managed only one.
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