MNS chief hate comment draws sharp reaction in Bihar

PATNA: Cutting across party line, Bihar legislators today assailed MNS chief Raj Thackeray for his remarks on non-Marathis getting autorickshaw permits and sought intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for initiating action against him for hate-mongering.

Deputy leader in the Legislative Assembly and senior JD(U) leader Shyam Rajak raised the issue during Zero hour and demanded from the PM to initiate action against MNS chief.

Rajak urged the House to pass a resolution to assail the statement of the MNS chief. He was supported by RJD leader Lalit Yadav.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was not present in the House at that time.

Claiming that 70 per cent of new autorickshaw permits were given to non-Marathis, Thackeray had yesterday threatened that his party workers will set afire these vehicles if they were seen plying on roads.

Raj Thackeray's controversial remark drew sharp criticism from legislators from all political parties, including BJP.

Deputy Chief Minister and RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav slammed the MNS chief for the hate comment.

Tejaswi, who is the son of RJD President Lalu Prasad, made a scathing attack on the Prime Minister for his party-led government in Maharashtra for not initiating action against Thackeray for regularly indulging in "hate politics".

"PM talks about 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas' but a leader in the Maharashtra government, where BJP is running a coalition government with NDA ally Shiv Sena, makes hate speech and the state government does not initiate any action against him. There seems a gap in PM's words and deeds," Tejaswi Yadav, the RJD legislature, said.

Union minister of state and BJP MP Giriraj Singh also came down heavily on the MNS chief.

"The country would not accept the language spoken by a mad man. He is talking in a language similar to one spoken by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir," Singh said.

His party MLAs Nitin Navin and Sanjay Sarawgi also slammed MNS chief for the hate comment.