New Delhi [India], March 13 (ANI): Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Thursday said that Holi has been celebrated in this country for thousands of years and Muslims have also been part of it.

Raut stated that it is not right to raise questions on Muslims again and again as they are also a part of this country.

Speaking to ANI, Sanjay Raut said, 'Holi has been celebrated in this country for thousands of years, and our Muslim brothers also take part in this festival. People from all communities and religions have been celebrating Holi together. But what is going on now is an attempt by some to spoil the atmosphere and create tension among communities.'

'It is not right to raise questions on Muslims again and again. They are our brothers...Maharashtra has always been a progressive state, but 5-10 people have spoiled this image of the state,' he stated.

This follows the decision by the local administration in Uttar Pradesh after which several mosques were covered with tarpaulin sheets ahead of the Holi festival. The move aims to prevent any untoward incidents and maintain communal harmony during the celebrations.

Earlier, Janata Dal (United) leader Abhishek Jha criticized the directive to cover mosques during Holi, calling it an unfortunate move that would create unnecessary controversy in an election year.

'It has been said to cover mosques at the time of Holi. This is very unfortunate. Holi festival has fallen on a Friday four times in the last ten years. On March 18, 2022, Holi was celebrated on a Friday, yet no disputes arose. This is an election year, and some people make such statements just to gain media TRP. India is a secular and democratic country where people of all castes and religions have the right to practice their faith. It is the responsibility of the administration to ensure that such incidents do not happen,' Jha said.

Addressing concerns over religious sites, he further stated, 'You cannot cover a temple or a mosque; it is everyone's responsibility to take precautions. Communal harmony is about building social harmony. Everyone is accountable, but the biggest responsibility lies with the local administration. It should be taken as a challenge, and we believe that such statements should be avoided.' (ANI)