Mumbai, Jun 9 (TOI): Reacting to an editorial in Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna on Monday, which suggested that thousands of mosques and dargahs in the state have come up illegally on government land, Majlise Ittihadul Muslimeen (MIM) accused the party of communalizing the issue. MIM MLA from Aurangabad Central Imtiaz Jaleel is opposing the mentallot of a government plot for a memorial for senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde in Aurangabad and instead wants the government to build a hospital and name after him.

"By dragging mosques and dargahs into the debate, Sena is communalizing the issue. I only said a hospital on the plot named after Mundeji would be a better tribute," said Jaleel. He added that his party would have no problem if the memorial was built from private funds. "Tomorrow, Congress may say it wants a government plot for a memorial for former CM Vilasrao Deshmukh. There will be no end to such demands," added Jaleel.

MIM MLA from Byculla Waris Pathan slammed the Sena for raking up "divisive" issues. "If Sena is so concerned about "illegal" mosques and dargahs, it should also train its guns on the illegal temples on government land," he said. -Mohammed Wajihuddin.