Raj Thackeray demands action against Mumbai BJP chief Ameet Satam over viral video
On Saturday, July 4, 2026, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray demanded that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis take strict action against Mumbai BJP president Ameet Satam. The demand came after a viral video, filmed on the Vidhan Bhavan steps in Mumbai, showed Satam smiling while speaking about recent rain-related deaths in the city.
In the viral video, Satam is seen standing with NCP (SP) MLA Jayant Patil on the Vidhan Bhavan steps. He says, "Yesterday, it was because of a tree, today it is a manhole." The remarks referred to two fatal incidents in Mumbai earlier that week, where an 11-year-old boy was killed by a falling tree on a school bus, and a 60-year-old man died after falling into an uncovered manhole.
In a Facebook post addressed to Chief Minister Fadnavis, Thackeray expressed deep concern over the incident, stating that it has sparked public resentment and criticism over the BJP leadership's perceived arrogance and lack of remorse. Thackeray questioned whether this attitude had now spread to Maharashtra.
"One of your MLAs and party office-bearers laughs openly over the deaths of people, and yet not a single disciplinary action has been taken against him," Thackeray wrote. He referenced the famous quote, "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely," adding that many current BJP colleagues serve as perfect examples of this.
The MNS chief strongly criticized Fadnavis for remaining silent on the matter. "Your silence has emboldened everyone to behave recklessly," Thackeray said. He asserted that ministers and leaders regularly make irresponsible and insensitive statements without facing reprimands. Thackeray demanded that those who behave recklessly should be made to resign.
Thackeray also lamented the decline of political dignity in Maharashtra, comparing the current situation to regressive political cultures in parts of northern India. He recalled that past leaders like Bal Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, and Pramod Mahajan never defended party members who committed lapses.
Urging the Chief Minister to act, Thackeray wrote, "Show everyone, just once, that Fadnavis does not hesitate to take strict action against those who behave irresponsibly. The rest will immediately fall in line."
