Raj Thackeray's Anti-Bihari Tirade Draws Fierce Criticism
Patna: Mar. 9, 2007
Fast-emerging anti-national leader and nephew of the separatist Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, Raj Thackeray, on Friday in Mumbai, on the first anniversary of the formation of his equally divisive party Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, lashed out at Biharis and other non-Maharashtrians living in Maharashtra and threatened of serious consequences if they 'did not stay within their limits'.
"They cannot live in Maharashtra and speak against Marathis," the man who dreams of replacing the senior Thackeray one day, said at the party meet.
"We are not letting outsiders dilute our Marathi culture and will take actions against all those who have been responsible for the 'influx of outsiders' in Maharashtra," the junior declared.
Reacting sharply at the Raj Thackeray's inflammatory diatribe, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar demanded severe legal action against Raj Thackeray while describing his statements as anti-national.
In a telephonic talk with Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, Kumar demanded security for all Biharis in Maharashtra and asked Thackeray be tried for anti-national activities.
"Every Indian is free to live in any part of India without any fear of regionalism or some other kind of backlash. Raj Thackeray should be tried as a traitor as he is trying to break the unity of the nation," Kumar said at a press conference at his residence in Patna.
"Let it be known that Biharis are fully capable of protecting their rights as Indian citizens and will fight for their self-respect till the end," he said adding Maharashtrians were not doing any favor to Biharis living in Maharashtra because it is the sheer hard work of Biharis that has made Mumbai what it is today.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav described Raj Thackeray's statements as despicable and reminded him that Biharis were not intimidated by him or his ilk. "Biharis know how to deal with such people who are clearly anti-national," Yadav said.
Deputy Chief Minister and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sushil Kumar Modi called Raj Thackeray as a 'political nobody' who was desperate to widen his support by dividing people on communal and regional lines.
Congress state president Sadanand Singh said people like Raj Thackeray were a threat to the nation and must be dealt with accordingly.
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