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Publication: Afternoon Despatch & Courier
Date: February 18, 2008
Maintaining his tough stand towards north
Indians, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Chief Raj Thackeray has vowed not to allow
celebration of Uttar Pradesh day and warned his party will take on "political
goondaism" of north Indians in Maharashtra with open hands.
"No programme like UP day, which shows
north Indians political goondaism will be allowed to take place here. We will
first request them with folded hands. If that does not work, we will face
them with open hands," Thackeray said in an interview to Marathi weekly
`Lokprabha'.
Raj said he did not subscribe to the view
that his party's anti-north Indians campaign was unconstitutional.
"One must abide by the basic principles
of Constitution. But its intricacies keep changing. Don't we amend the Constitution?"
Thackeray said.
"Today's issues were non-existent when
the Constitution was drafted. The situation has changed now," he said.
Justifying his objection to influx of migrants
into Mumbai, Raj asked, "Am I the only one who has this grievance? Sheila
Dixit, Prabha Rau said the same thing (recently). Similar sentiments are expressed
in Assam."
"Hasn't somebody said that every generation
has its constitution?" Raj added, referring to Thomas Jefferson's quote.
As to resorting to MNS workers indulging in
violence and the law and order situation arising out of it, Raj said, "We
had to take to the street so that north Indians did not damage the law and
order situation permanently. Even Gandhi, Bhagat Singh had to break the law."
