Mayhem in Lok Sabha over Raj Thackeray Issue
Patna: March 3, 2008
Leaders from various political parties on Monday created a ruckus in the Parliament over atrocities being committed on Biharis and other North Indians in Maharashtra by the goons of segregationists like Raj and Bal Thackeray.
Demanding an explanation from the UPA government on its stand on the entire Thackeray brouhaha, the leaders from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh asked for tough prison sentence for Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray on charges of anti-national activities and attempting to incite communal riots in Maharashtra.
Equating him to Punjab militant Jarnail Singh Bhinderwale, the opposition leaders demanded immediate arrest of Raj Thackeray and shifting of the Reserve Bank of India headquarters from Mumbai to Delhi.
Things took unexpected turn in the Lok Sabha when Shiv Sena member Anant Geet blamed the governments of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and other northern states of failing to develop their own regions resulting in mass migration of people from these states to Maharashtra.
Jumping on him quickly Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), and Janata Dal (U) leaders wasted no time in reminding Geet of Bihar's contribution in building Maharashtra and other metros in the nation.
Speaker of the Parliament Somnath Chatterjee said that the Indian Constitution gave full freedom to all citizens of India to earn their livelihoods in any part of the country and any attempt to stifle their movements would be a direct assault on the Constitution.
The House had to be adjourned three times after Home Minister Shivraj Patil failed to provide a satisfactory answer to the Center's eerie silence over the entire Maharashtra issue.
"The fact that Biharis are facing backlash in only those states that are ruled or partially ruled by the Congress Party cannot be ignored and the Congress leaders must answer to this question," the opposition leaders said.
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