"Will spread 'green' across Maharashtra": AIMIM's Jaleel backs corporator Sahar Shaikh over Mumbra remark

Mumbra AIMIM corporator Sahar Shaikh (X.com/ANI)

• AIMIM leader defends 'green Mumbra' remark, aims for statewide expansion.
• Shaikh clarified her statement was about AIMIM's flag color, not communal intent.
• AIMIM won 5 seats in Thane civic polls, beating Congress and Shiv Sena.

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All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Imtiaz Jaleel on Sunday doubled down on his colleague Sahar Shaikh's 'will turn Mumbra green' remark by claiming his party intended to do the same with all of Maharashtra.

Shaikh, after her victory from ward 30 in the January 15 Thane civic polls, had said every candidate in Mumbra will be from AIMIM in the next five years. Muslim-dominated Mumbra is part of NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad's Mumbra-Kalwa seat in the district. The NCP (SP) has strong presence in certain pockets.

"Mumbra must be completely painted green," she had said in a jibe at Awhad, but it ended up triggering a war of words with the BJP and Shiv Sena.

She was issued a notice under Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) by Mumbra police for the "provocative" remarks and asked to "exercise extreme caution in public addresses and refrain from statements that could inflame sentiments".

Defending Shaikh, former Lok Sabha MP Jaleel accused Maharashtra police of "selective action", adding that it acted under pressure from a small group of protesters.

"Leaders from the BJP, Ajit Pawar's NCP frequently make provocative statements but face little or no legal action. The AIMIM will not retreat (in the face of such action). It will continue to expand its political presence," he said.

"The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen will spread the colour green across Maharashtra," Jaleel said.

The Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) registered significant gains in Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) elections, bagging five of the 131 seats and outperforming parties like Congress, which failed to open its account, and Shiv Sena (UBT), which secured just one seat.

Shaikh's remarks had triggered a flurry of complaints, including from the BJP, which alleged these represented "Muslim bigotry" and were designed to "spread fear" among the minority Hindu population in Mumbra.

Acting on the complaints, the Mumbra police summoned Sheikh for questioning. She later submitted a written apology, clarifying that her remarks were intended to reflect the party's green colour flag and electoral success, and not to convey any communal meaning.

#WATCH | Thane, Maharashtra | On her statement 'We will turn Mumbra Green', AIMIM Corporator Sahar Shaikh says, "We are promoting green colour, because the colour of my flag is green. Had the colour of my flag been orange or saffron, I would have promoted it... This was… pic.twitter.com/gbpL3JYHaA

— ANI (@ANI) January 21, 2026