‘Kaise Haraya’ Fame AIMIM Corporator Sahar Shaikh’s Father Gets Key Post In Shinde Sena-Linked Body, Denies Joining Party

THANE: Political speculation has erupted in Thane after Yunus Shaikh, father of AIMIM corporator Sahar Shaikh who shot to social media fame with her “Kaise Haraya” remark after winning the Thane civic polls  was reported to have been given an important post in an organisation linked to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

 According to media reports, Yunus Shaikh has been appointed president of the Kalwa-Mumbra Cable Sena, an organisation associated with the Shinde-led Shiv Sena. An appointment letter has also surfaced, referring to the blessings of Eknath Shinde.

Yunus Shaikh Denies Joining Shiv Sena:

 Speaking to the media, Yunus Shaikh dismissed the reports of a party switch.

“I have not joined the Shiv Sena. I am with AIMIM, and will work for Mumbra people’s welfare,”he said.

“I run a cable and internet business. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has offered me the president’s position in the Akhil Bharatiya Cable organisation for the Kalwa-Mumbra area.”

 Yunus, who has been providing cable and internet services in Mumbai for the last four decades, said:

“Even if the appointment letter bears the Shiv Sena’s name, and I wear a scarf bearing their party’s symbol, it does not mean that I switched. If I want to join the Shiv Sena, there is nothing stopping me. I can do so whenever I wish.”

 He traced his association with Shinde to an old family friendship:

“My father and I share a good relationship with Eknath Shinde. He never forgets his old associates or their families. Whenever we face difficulties, he has always stood firmly by us, and he continues to do so even now.”

In a fresh video statement, with the AIMIM kite symbol in the background, Yunus reiterated that the Akhil Bharatiya Cable Sena was an organisation he had been associated with for a long time since the time of Anand Dighe, and that he had now been appointed president of the cable and internet operators’ association for the Mumbra-Kalwa constituency.

Background:

 Sahar Shaikh was elected from Ward No. 30 of the Thane Municipal Corporation on an AIMIM ticket. Following her victory, her “Kaise Haraya” remark at a public gathering went viral. At the same event, she also spoke about turning the entire Mumbra green a statement that drew criticism.

 She later clarified: “My party’s flag is green. Had it been saffron, I would have said we will paint Mumbra bhagwa. My remarks were about my party’s political presence, not against any community.”

 Former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya filed a complaint against her, claiming the remarks were provocative. Maharashtra Police issued her a notice under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

 Yunus Shaikh was previously considered a supporter of NCP leader Jitendra Awhad, but the two reportedly fell out later. During the Thane civic elections, Yunus had sought a ticket for his daughter from the NCP faction led by Sharad Pawar. After she was denied the ticket, Sahar contested on an AIMIM ticket and won.

 The appointment letter and Yunus’s denial have now sparked fresh political debate in Thane over his reported association with the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, with both AIMIM and Shiv Sena camps watching the development closely.