New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has reacted strongly to attacks on non-Maharashtrians and the resultant tensions in Maharashtra.
According to sources, Manmohan Singh - in a strongly-worded letter to state Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh – is believed to have said that firm action needs to be taken against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray and demanded he be booked under the National Security Act.
With his ministerial colleagues - especially from Bihar - venting their anger, Manmohan Singh chaired a Cabinet meeting late on Thursday night where he spoke about the letter.
He is also believed to have said Home Ministry had been asked to convey Central Government’s strong sentiments to the state government.
Sources say even some Congress ministers supported the allies in calling for a judicial probe into the encounter killing of Rahul Raj, the youth from Bihar who hijacked a bus in Mumbai.
WHO SAID WHAT
Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Law Minister H R Bhardwaj and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal – all lawyers – were understood to have favoured a judicial inquiry into the killing on the ground that a civilian probe would not suffice.
Bhardwaj is understood to have pointed out that since allegations had been levelled against police in the case of killing of a youth from Bihar, a judicial or a magisterial inquiry would be appropriate.
Sibal and Reddy voiced concern over the violence against north Indians in Maharashtra, saying the developments did not send the right signals.
Interestingly, NCP leaders Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad were not present in the meeting.
Fertilizer Minister Ram Vilas Paswan led the charge against Thakceray's campaign and wondered what the Centre was doing when national unity and integrity was being challenged.
Pressing for Thackeray's arrest under NSA, Paswan said the MNS chief was getting out on bail in whatever cases had been filed against him.
He cited the case of MDMK chief Vaiko's arrest for his alleged statements in favour of LTTE and said why similar action should not be taken against Thackeray, the sources said.
Home Minister Shivraj Patil told the meeting that his Ministry had issued three advisories to Maharashtra government over the violence against North Indians and 56 cases were registered against Thackeray in connection with these incidents, the sources said.
(With PTI, CNN-IBN i nputs)
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