MNS, which launched its campaign against north Indian migrants last month, had issued advertisements in local newspapers asking unemployed Marathi youth to enroll with the party, which would provide them jobs in industrial units in Nashik.
Members of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena on Saturday celebrated the 40th birthday of their leader Raj Thackeray by organising blood donation camps and other social activities.However, the MNS refrained from holding a Hatt Puja programme, a take-off on the Chhat Puja performed by north Indians, which has become a bone of contention between MNS and migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.Over 20,000 supporters visited the MNS chief's home at Dadar and greeted their leader.
After hijacking the Shiv Sena's Marathi agenda, MNS wants to sustain the campaign by offering free Marathi classes to the non-Marathis in the city. "Marathi is the official language of the state and non-Maharashtrians should at least know how to communicate in Marathi," MNS district president (South Mumbai) Arvind Gavade told PTI. The MNS is planning to start the classes from March. There will be three lectures per week and the number of lectures can be increased.
"The Home Ministry is providing central forces to the state government as requested by it. Rapid Action Force units are already positioned in Mumbai," a senior Home Ministry official said.
Media personnel trying to reach Thackeray's residence were told to wait several meters away.
The Central government on Friday condemned the targeting of North Indians in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra as the political class cutting across ideological spectrum demanded stern action against breakaway Shiv Sena leader Raj Thackeray and his marauding party activists.
The octogenarian leader said he agreed with Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar that these tactics to gain free publicity should be ignored. Without naming Raj, Thackeray said 'chicken in state politics are suffering from bird flu of depression', and hence they have no value.
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The Maharashtra government is seeking the opinion of the state's Advocate General on the issue of the arrest of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Chief Raj Thackeray for his remarks against north Indians, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said on Thursday. "For an arrest warrant, we are seeking legal opinion. The police will take action according to advise," he said. Deshmukh said it was the government's job to provide all residents of Mumbai protection.
Approximately 25 youths, suspected to be MNS members, attacked the office of the Mumbai Taximen's Union in Central Mumbai on Thursday morning. MNS workers have been targeting taxi drivers since the past few days, but the police are yet to confirm the perpetrators of today's attack. Union president A I Qadros had earlier said that the taxi drivers would go on strike if they were not compensated for the attacks.
With the Centre pressing the Maharashtra government to take immediate steps against those indulging in violence, the Mumbai police appealed to Raj to restrain the cadre of his party -- Maharashtra Navnirman Sena -- from further fuelling the campaign against north Indians.
With the Centre asking the state government to take proper steps to maintain law and order, Deshmukh said stern action would be taken against the guilty and there will be full protection for those living in Mumbai.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil was understood to have faced criticism from some of his ministerial colleagues at a cabinet meeting in Mumbai on Tuesday night for his handling of the issue of Raj Thackeray's attack on North Indians, but he denied having threatened to quit. "The objective behind spreading such reports is to harm the party interests," Patil said in a veiled reference to senior NCP ministers with whom he does not get along well.
A video clip showing MNS chief Raj Thackeray cutting a cake with inscription 'Bhaiyya' (Mumbai slang for north Indians, especially those from UP and Bihar), has landed Raj in fresh trouble.
Police harassed superstar Amitabh Bachchan and favoured people like Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, Samajwadi Party leader Abu Asim Azmi alleged on Friday. Azmi claimed Bachchan was forced to withdraw a case of attack on his bungalow in Mumbai during the anti-north Indian campaign led by the Raj's party.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has rejected the demand for booking MNS leader Raj Thackeray, whose party has targeted North Indians in the state, under the National Security Act saying he did not agree with this.
The auto sector in Pune, which houses production centres of the most prominent auto manufacturers in the country, says that 60-70 per cent of its labour is already local. They were reponding to the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray's call yesterday urging companies to reserve 80 per cent of all industrial jobs created for local Maharashtrians.
Two months after targetting north Indian migrants, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray has raked up son-of-the soil issue demanding 80 per cent job reservation for Marathi-speaking locals in private sector.
A large number of Biharis are unafraid to go to Mumbai despite the violence unleashed on north Indians by Maharashtra Navanirman Sena.
An article, published in Saturday's edition of Sena's mouthpiece Saamna, which is edited by Thackeray, accuses Bachchan of not doing enough for Maharashtra. The article cites the example of Tamil superstar Rajnikanth, who participated in the protest by Tamil Nadu against Karnataka over the Hoggenakal issue, even though he hails from Karnataka. The article goes on to suggest scathingly that Bachchan should take a leaf out of Rajnikanth's book.
Sooner or later, India will have to address the issue of regional disparity. Unfortunately the solution lies in social and political reforms in the BIMARU states. Presently there seems no sign of it.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on Wednesday said that he was seeking legal opinion before taking action against Shiv Sena Supremo Bal Thackeray, in the wake of his comments against Biharis and North Indian Members of Parliament. "If any editorial hurts the sentiments of other people, it can affect the law and order situation," Deshmukh said after meeting Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. He said a legal opinion needed to be taken.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Wednesday moved a court afresh seeking quashing of the extension of the police order prohibiting him from holding rallies, public meetings and addressing the media.
Opposition National Democratic Alliance and Third Front disrupted proceedings in both Houses of Parliament for the second consecutive day on Wednesday over the plight of farmers in the country and demanded waiver of loans and a fiscal package for the community.
The gag order was issued on February 14 following Raj's statements against north Indian migrants that had led to violence in the metropolis and parts of Maharashtra.
The Supreme Court on Friday expressed displeasure over Raj Thackeray's remarks on people coming to Mumbai from other states.
Thackeray, in an editorial published in party mouthpiece Saamana, said, "The Karunanidhi government has issued an ordinance making Tamil compulsory in all schools in the state." "Lalu, who has turned Bihar into hell, should hold a mela of Biharis in Tamil Nadu, ruled by his ally at the Centre, to champion the cause of North Indians there."
An autorickshaw driver received bullet injury after passengers allegedly fired at him from their country-made pistols following an altercation, the police said on Sunday.
The industries in Nashik, which bore the brunt of violence after MNS chief Raj Thackeray's arrest in Mumbai, have suffered losses to the tune of Rs 400 crore. The incidents of stone-pelting, arson and exodus of North Indian workers from the region have hit the local industries hard, Prashant Sathe, general secretary of Nashik Industries Manufacturers' Association (NIMA) said.
Perhaps, more daughters will feel more loved if the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme were to be replaced, says Geetanjali Krishna.
What if Raj does not move for bail: If he declines to move for bail, he will be first sent to judicial remand for 14 days, which will be extended till the charge sheet is filed
Dozens of people took to the streets to celebrate the news of Thackeray's likely arrest. "We are playing with colours to celebrate the likely police action against Raj Thackeray, who made a mockery of the Chhath festival and made remarks against Biharis," said student leader Manoranjan Singh, while playing with dry colours at the busy Dak Bungalow square in Patna.
Raj said," If the Prime Minister can rake up the issue of ban on turbans for the Sikhs in France when the French President came to India, if Karunanidhi could take up the issue of problems of Tamils in Malaysia with the Malaysian government, if the Hindi channels in Mumbai spew venom against Maharashtra while supporting the people from UP and Bihar, then how come I am dubbed as a goonda when I speak about the self-respect of the state ?".
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to grant urgent hearing to a petition seeking direction to the Election Commission, to derecognise Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navanirman Sena, for his controversial remarks against north Indians. A bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan said that the petition would be heard on February 22, as fixed by the registry. The petition had been filed by advocate Arvind Shukla.
Expressing anguish over incidents targeting north Indians in Mumbai, Union Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Wednesday said he had written a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue.
In a veiled threat to splinter Sena group leader Raj Thackeray, blamed for the recent trouble in Mumbai, the police on Tuesday said it was mulling action against political leaders promoting enmity on grounds of region and language.
A day after he likened Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray to saitan (devil), Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday demanded stern action against him for his remarks against north Indians and the Chhath festival.
"He (Raj) was very careful this time and it seems he has consulted some legal experts before making the speech. For taking action, the offence needs to have been complete. And it is difficult to find an explicit threat or provocation in the speech text," a senior police officer said amidst widespread demand for action against MNS chief.
The Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission on Wednesday warned Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray, 'not to cross his limits', during the rally he plans to address on Saturday. Raj, who had initiated a violent anti-north Indian campaign in February and was arrested on charges of inciting his cadres, plans to hold a rally at the historic Shivaji Park on Saturday, in which he plans to chart out the future course of action for his two-year-old outfit.
Actor Amitabh Bachchan has rubbished reports that incidents of bottle throwing on his house, during the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena campaign against North Indians, were manipulated."If some feel that this was manipulated they are so wrong. You attribute far too much to my devious acumen. I am afraid I do not possess such attributes." he said. Bachchan said his wife Jaya's recent walk out from Parliament was her right as a Member of Parliament.
