Union minister Chirag Paswan and Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor on Saturday criticised Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray over his remarks on Chhath, accusing him of targeting people from the Hindi heartland for political gain.

Thackeray had accused the BJP-led Maharashtra government of trying to stoke conflict in Mumbai, home to a sizeable North Indian population, by using the Chhath Puja issue ahead of upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh.