The communal clashes that took place in Maharashtra and elsewhere on Ram Navami were "government-sponsored", Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut claimed on Friday, adding that the state government wanted to use the tensions as a pretext to deny permission to a rally of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

Clashes took place between different groups in Aurangabad city of central Maharashtra as well as in Malvani area of Mumbai on Thursday.