Raj Thackeray's tirade against north Indians continues

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Chief Raj Thackeray's fresh tirade against north Indians in his inflammatory speech during a rally organised by his party on May 03 has given a way to mounting condemnation from all quarters against the ruling state government for not taking concrete action against Raj Thackeray.

However, the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister has discarded all charges against their government incurred upon by Oppositions for treating Raj Thackeray leniently and said if there were any truth in the allegations; the government would not have arrested the MNS chief earlier in February.

•   E-mail Article
•   Printer Friendly
•   Text-Size    

He, however, refused to make comment for giving clean chit to the junior Thackeray, the report of which was flashing by some of the news channels.

Media started speculation after Maharashtra police issuing statement that it was difficult for them to establish MNS chief's speech had prompted enmity on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence and language under the provision of Section 153A of IPC.

The Maharashtra government after noticing the police views soon referred the entire case to the law and judiciary department for advice. Patil said that if the government had any soft corner for Raj Thackeray, it would not have done the same. “We have referred the case to the law and judiciary department and the rest course of action depends on the opinion send by the department,” Patil said.

We are following the legal procedures and as per the procedure, the intelligence people analyse speech when it comes to Home Department and then send to Law and Judiciary Department, Patil said.

Apart from that Patil said he would ask the Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) to hold a press conference and clarify the issue.

Earlier the hue and cry by the Oppositions for giving legal shelter to Raj Thackeray and not acting decisively against him threatened the Home Minister Patil even to resign. Even the cabinet ministers from both the Congress and the NCP launched bitter attack on the Patil for its failure to take action against Raj. However, Patil denied any truth in it and alleged media for showing report in exaggeration.

Report says the Chief Minister Vilas Rao Deshmukh intervened and urged Patil not to take the matter as a personal attack.

In showing protest of the Raj Thackeray's scratching attack against the north Indians workers, the women wing of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in Patna took out a mock funeral of the MNS leader Raj Thackeray.

The MNS separatist leader Raj Thackeray in his rhetoric against the north Indians during a rally in Mumbai on Saturday, 03 May said he would never allow them to play with the culture of Maharashtra. "Let the government arrest me if it wants. I am not afraid. I maintain my stand that only Maharashtra Day should be celebrated in Maharashtra," he furiated.

The violence carried out by Raj Thackeray's supporters had forced the migrant workers from the North India's leaving the state owing to MNS campaign for “Maharashtra for Maharashtrians.” Even a gag order issued by the government did not deter him from using inflammatory speeches against north Indians.

Earlier a Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan indirectly warned Thackeray, both Raj and Bal, without taking their names that any statements and actions would not be tolerated that infringe the country’s unity and integrity.

But that indirect warning from the Apex constitutional body perhaps has not taken seriously by Raj Thackeray as it seems from his bombast speech on Saturday.