Raj promises more of the same

MNS chief says he will renew diatribe against N Indians

MUMBAI: Mumbai has the exam season and the ongoing session of the state legislature to thank for the break from Raj Thackeray’s anti-north Indian diatribe. But the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief promises to be back after the break.

At a rally organised by his party at Shivaji Park on Monday to mark Shiv Jayanti, Raj reiterated his stand against the North Indian community. ``I have not given up my mission.  

“Since examinations are on and the session of the state legislature is also in progress I am maintaining a silence. After they are over you shall hear more from me on the issue,’’ he said.

He said even when the gag order imposed by the police was on, he had not remained silent. “I conveyed my thoughts through newspaper articles,” he said, adding he would clarify his stand at his May 3 rally at the same place.

Raj made a brief speech, but as soon as he rose he was greeted by thunderous applause.

Referring to the recent massacre of 14 Bihari labourers in Manipur, Raj took a dig at leaders espousing the cause of the north Indian community. “No north Indian leader went to Manipur, but they come to Maharashtra if anything happens. Their attention is not on Manipur, but on Moneypur here (flood of money in Mumbai),” the MNS president said.

While the Shiv Sena shakhas organised processions across the city to mark the day, the MNS chief managed to pull in the crowds with a turnout of more than 50,000 at the function.

The programme consisted of a chat show between Babasaheb Purandare and Raj, a skit on the coronation ceremony of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and songs on Shivaji Maharaj by Hridaynath Mangeshkar.
 
The Mumbai police had issued a gag order on the MNS chief after his vitriolic remarks against the north Indian community, Amitabh Bachchan and on the practice of Chhat Puja. While the first gag order was in force between February 11 and February 25, it was later extended till March 3.