Office of Marathi IAS Official in Purnia Attacked

Patna: Nov. 1, 2008

After being subjected to a series of assaults and abuse in the hands of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) thugs, the patience of Biharis came to an end on Saturday as angry residents in Purnia district launched an attack on the office of senior IAS officer Ashwini Dattatreya Thackeray chanting anti-Marathi slogans and deportation of all Marathis from Bihar.

Despite appeal of calm by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and other senior leaders in Bihar, more than 200 people led by the local Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) activists in Purnia surrounded the office of the lady SDO and chanted anti-Raj Thackeray slogans while demanding her return to Maharashtra.

Quick response by the local police officers, however, averted any escalation of the incident.

"If Biharis are not welcome in Maharashtra then Maharashtrians have no place in Bihar and they must immediately leave our state if they know what is good for them," Manoj Kumar, an angry protestor said.

"Biharis were very patient and friendly people but what had transpired in the last few weeks in Maharashtra, it is time for us to take a stand and show Thackeray that we are also capable of playing this game of divisive politics." Amar Deo Singh, a Purnia resident, said.

The SDO, however, denied she was ever in any kind of danger and sympathized with the sentiments of the protestors.

"I have not received any threat or feel threatened in any way," Thackeray, a Bihar cadre Indian Administrative Service official, said.

The Bihar government has directed a raise in her security to prevent any untoward incident from happening.

"When you indulge in regional politics like the one being played by Raj Thackeray for the sole reason of earning notoriety, it is bound to have dangerous effects in other parts of the country," said a Janata Dal (U) leader in Purnia.

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