Various political parties today demanded action against Maharashtra Navnirman Ssena chief Raj Thackeray for his recent outburst against north Indian migrants.
Samajwadi Party, whose leaders Amar Singh and Abu Asim Azmi have been the perennial target of Raj's ire, on Monday hit back, demanding that the MNS chief be arrested and charged under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act.
"Such rogue elements should not be allowed to roam freely, endangering communal and regional harmony," Azmi said.
Leaders of Rashtriya Janata Dal, whose chief Lalu Prasad Yadav was threatened by Raj at his May 3 rally in Mumbai, are planning to write to Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh that Raj Thackeray be arrested for inciting regional hatred, party sources said.
Amar Singh has alleged that there was a collusion between Raj, Deshmukh and Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, as a result of which the MNS chief is being accorded "shield by police."
The SP leader also alleged that Pawar's relative and former IPS officer Vikram Bokey, a key functionary of MNS, was the chief financer of the two-year old outfit.
Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sanjay Nirupam told PTI that a proper scrutiny of Raj's speech should be done as early as possible and if his speech violates law of the land and the Constitutional provisions, stern action should be
taken against him.
Responding to Raj's charge that north Indians are the one who are committing crime in Mumbai, Nirupam said that there should not be any sweeping remarks against any community.
"In every community, there are good and bad elements. I don't claim that nobody from north Indian community indulges in crime. But I would like to remind Raj that criminals like Dawood Ibrahim, Tiger Memon, Chhota Rajan, Arun Gawli, Rama Naik, Amar Naik, Vardha Rajan, Haji Mastan, Karim Lala don't belong to UP or Bihar," Nirupam said.
"At the same time, I'm not saying all criminals from Mumbai are Maharashtrians," the former MP said.
On Raj citing excerpts from Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's writing on 'dominance of Hindi', Nirupam said Raj should not drag Ambedkar in this issue.
"Raj is using Ambedkar's quotes for his cheap politics. Does he expect Dalits of Maharashtra to hate the greatest Buddhist pilgrimage Bodh Gaya, which is located in Bihar," he said.
Nirupam also alleged that Raj is trying to divide the migrant community by isolating those from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
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