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Parliament discusses attack on north Indians in Mumbai |
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Parliament’s functioning was affected last week because of uproar over the attacks on north Indians in Mumbai.
Responding to an impromptu discussion on the issue of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) campaign against north Indians in the Lok Sabha on March 3, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil asserted in the House the next day that the Centre has told the Maharashtra Government to ensure protection to everybody in the state. He said every citizen of the country has every right to go and work anywhere in the country. He said this is not only a constitutional right, but part of the country’s composite culture as well. The Home Minister said that the State Government has registered over 300 cases against 1500 people for substantive offences. In addition, preventive action has been taken against 5,000 people.
During the discussion in the Lok Sabha on March 3, several members demanded action against MNS chief Raj Thackeray for his controversial statements which provoked violence against north Indians in Maharashtra.
In another move, 13 Lok Sabha members from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, cutting across party lines, have submitted a breach of privilege notice against Shiv Sena chief Bal Thacker¬ay for denigrating Members of Parliament as well as the House.
In an article in the Shiv Sena mouthpiece, Saamna, Bal Thackeray alleged that Biharis are unwanted everywhere in India. In the editorial, he spewed venom on the migrants from Bihar. “They are not wanted in South India, Assam, Punjab and Chandi¬garh. The Biharis have antagonised local populations wherever they have settled,” Thackeray wrote. The aging leader also hit out at the MPs from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for demanding more security for north Indian migrants in Maharashtra. “The MPs from UP and Bihar are abusing Marathi people in Parliament and are insulting the locals of Mumbai and Maharashtra who have provided refuge to north Indians for years,” Thackeray wrote.
He warned that the people of Maharashtra would not take it lightly if north Indian MPs accused them of being anti-national.
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