"MNS chief attempts to clear the air before the north Indian festival on Tuesday, says he is only opposed to its politicisation"
Worried about every stray incident of violence being attributed to his party, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray went on the backfoot on Friday as he declared that he had absolutely no opposition to Chhat Puja if it was not politicised.
Thackeray has sought special permission from the police to clear the air ahead of the festival to be celebrated by Biharis on a large scale on Tuesday. There were apprehensions in city that MNS activists would go on a rampage again when north Indians assembled at Juhu Beach on Tuesday. Raj's clarification will allow the festival to continue smoothly as he asked his followers to maintain calm.
Raj's arrest last week had sparked violent incidents in the city that included the death of a migrant on a Mumbai train and a shooting of a Patna youth on the BEST bus in Kurla. Rahul Raj, a Bihari youth, had allegedly come to Mumbai to kill Raj Thackeray. Raj activists also smashed several ST buses, BEST buses, taxis and auto rickshaws in protest over their leader's arrest
At the press conference on Friday, however, Raj preached peace. "I have never opposed the Chhat Puja. I have only spoken against the political 'tamasha' (stunts) associated with it. People from Bihar who live here can perform religious rituals according to their customs. My party has never opposed it," he said.
This was his first press conference where he did not spit venom against north Indian leaders, nor id he make any provocative statements. However, he did reiterate that his battle for the Marathi manoos would continue.
Raj backed the Mumbai police over the killing of Rahul Raj who had allegedly come to Mumbai to kill him.
"You would have to flayed the police had he shot some commuters. Who knew where this youth had came from?" he asked.
Raising questions about downgrading his personal security , he said, "How did they reduced the security so suddenly? The police security review committee decides what security cover to give to people on grounds of threat perception and his importance in public life. Don't forget, people in power change often. What will they do when I come to power?", he asked.
Worried about every stray incident of violence being attributed to his party, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray went on the backfoot on Friday as he declared that he had absolutely no opposition to Chhat Puja if it was not politicised.
Thackeray has sought special permission from the police to clear the air ahead of the festival to be celebrated by Biharis on a large scale on Tuesday. There were apprehensions in city that MNS activists would go on a rampage again when north Indians assembled at Juhu Beach on Tuesday. Raj's clarification will allow the festival to continue smoothly as he asked his followers to maintain calm.
Raj's arrest last week had sparked violent incidents in the city that included the death of a migrant on a Mumbai train and a shooting of a Patna youth on the BEST bus in Kurla. Rahul Raj, a Bihari youth, had allegedly come to Mumbai to kill Raj Thackeray. Raj activists also smashed several ST buses, BEST buses, taxis and auto rickshaws in protest over their leader's arrest
At the press conference on Friday, however, Raj preached peace. "I have never opposed the Chhat Puja. I have only spoken against the political 'tamasha' (stunts) associated with it. People from Bihar who live here can perform religious rituals according to their customs. My party has never opposed it," he said.
This was his first press conference where he did not spit venom against north Indian leaders, nor id he make any provocative statements. However, he did reiterate that his battle for the Marathi manoos would continue.
Raj backed the Mumbai police over the killing of Rahul Raj who had allegedly come to Mumbai to kill him.
"You would have to flayed the police had he shot some commuters. Who knew where this youth had came from?" he asked.
Raising questions about downgrading his personal security , he said, "How did they reduced the security so suddenly? The police security review committee decides what security cover to give to people on grounds of threat perception and his importance in public life. Don't forget, people in power change often. What will they do when I come to power?", he asked.
No comments:
Post a Comment