Graveyard politics: Why Yakub Memon is an issue ahead of BMC polls

BJP is in competition with Shiv Sena over Hindutva votes, wants to push Uddhav into a corner to ensure he doesn’t get a lot of Muslim votes either.

Yakub Memon was was executed in the year 2015 for his alleged role in 1993 Mumbai bombings.

Seven years after he was hanged, the politics in Maharashtra over Yakub Memon, triggered by the discovery of “decoration” around his grave, continued Saturday. The BJP and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena both released photos and videos of each other’s leaders with a ‘relative’ of the 1993 Mumbai blasts convict.

BJP MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar circulated a video claiming that it showed Memon’s “relative” Rauf Memon attending a meeting with Sena leader and former Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar.

Uddhav’s aide Harshal Pradhan hit back sharing a photograph purportedly showing the same Rauf Memon with the BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis and Chandrakant Patil.

Yakub Memon’s grave site at Bada Kabrastan. (Express Photo)

Earlier, the BJP claimed that Memon’s grave was “beautified” when the coalition government led by Uddhav was in power in Maharashtra. The Sena then hit back saying it was the BJP-led Central government that had handed over Memon’s body to his relatives.

The authorities maintaining the graveyard have denied any “beautification”, while removing some LED lights set up around Menon’s grave.

Also read | Who was Yakub Memon, revamp of whose burial site has stirred a controversy?

The issue is being kept alive by both sides ahead of the coming BMC polls, where the party that can establish itself as representative of “real Hindutva” may well walk away with the cash-rich corporation. The BJP sees a good chance as a big chunk of the Sena, led by Eknath Shinde, is now its ally, and Uddhav’s climb to the mantle is even steeper.

The BJP was the first to seize upon a media report on renovation of a kabrastan (graveyard) where Memon was buried. With the BMC controlled by the Thackerays and Sena for years, it asked how it could happen under the party’s nose.

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Initially taken aback, the Uddhav Sena and its allies NCP and Congress quickly got their act together. They pointed out that first, the graveyard was run by a trust and not the BMC, and second, it was a BJP-led government with Devendra Fadnavis as CM that had in 2015 let Memon be buried there.

The reference was to apprehensions expressed by some quarters over handing over of Memon’s body to his family.

Apart from painting the Uddhav Sena as “pro-Muslim” given the allies it has now, the BJP gambit also appears to be to force it into an extremist position, which would deter minorities from flocking to it. Sources said that the BJP’s reading is that, the Muslims, who are in substantial numbers in many BMC wards, might see the Uddhav Sena as the only choice to stop the BJP.

A combination of Muslim plus its core Hindu base, even if divided, would put the Uddhav Sena in a good position. The Thackerays are also expected to retain a big part of their traditional Maratha pride vote, which they are counting on. Apart from the Shinde Sena, the BJP is also expected to use the MNS and Raj Thackeray to chip away at this traditional vote bank.

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As part of this tussle for the Hindutva-Marathi vote, the BJP recently ran a campaign claiming that the return of its government meant a return to grand celebration of “Hindu festivals”, with the Shinde-Fadnavis government lifting the limits on the height of the Dahi Handi pyramids as well as the size of the Ganesh festival idols.

The NCP Saturday took a swipe over this, releasing a press note heaving a sigh of relief that CM Shinde could now concentrate on government administration since the Ganesh festival was over.

Yakub Memon was one of the Memon brothers convicted for being a prime conspirator in the 1993 serial blasts, that had led to more than 250 deaths.

Alok Deshpande

Alok Deshpande is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express' Mumbai bureau, recognized for his focused and authoritative reporting on governance, politics, and the socio-economic dynamics of Maharashtra's hinterlands. His unique academic background in Geology and early work in the water sector provides a specialized layer of Expertise to his reporting on resource and environmental issues. Expertise Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express, Mumbai. Core Authority: Alok provides detailed coverage of Maharashtra politics and governance, with a particular emphasis on how policies and power struggles affect the rural and semi-urban areas (the 'hinterlands'). Key Coverage Areas: His reports frequently focus on high-stakes administrative and political topics, including: State Assembly Proceedings: In-depth reporting on the Legislative Assembly, covering ministerial statements, legislative debates, and inter-party conflict within the ruling Mahayuti alliance. Policy & Finance: Coverage of state finances, including supplementary budget demands, fiscal deficits, and major government schemes (e.g., Jal Jeevan Mission, Ladki Bahin Yojana). Rural and Social Issues: Reports on critical health issues (e.g., child deaths in districts), human-animal conflict (leopard attacks, stray dogs), and agrarian concerns (e.g., farmer suicides). Local and Urban Governance: Covers major announcements regarding urban development (e.g., BMC's OC amnesty scheme, pagdi system push) and local body elections, including political defections and alliance splits. Unique Credentials & Trustworthiness Academic Specialization: Holds a Post-graduate degree in Geology. This background gives him a foundational understanding of natural resources, which directly informs his reporting on environment, water, and infrastructure projects. Early Professional Experience: His shift to journalism came after working with an NGO focused on the water sector. This practical experience strengthens his Expertise in critical areas like water management and rural development, as evidenced by his reporting on the Jal Jeevan Mission. Journalism Training: An alumnus of the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, confirming his formal training and commitment to rigorous journalistic standards. Alok Deshpande's rare combination of scientific education, non-profit sector experience, and deep political reporting makes him a highly trusted and authoritative voice on the governance and ground realities of Maharashtra. He tweets @alokdesh ... Read More