After drawing flak from across the country over his remarks urging party workers to take to the streets and burn autorickshaws, a chastened MNS president Raj Thackeray has decided to call off the agitation. "As per the directives of Raj Thackeray Saheb we request that till further directives no action should be taken on the autorickshaw agitation," a message circulated by senior MNS leader Shirish Sawant said. Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Wednesday had urged party workers to take to the streets, burn autorickshaws and keep pursuing the ‘Marathi’ agenda. [related-post] Speaking at an event to mark 10 years of MNS on Wednesday, he alleged corruption in the purchase of 70,000 new autorickshaws in Mumbai for which the BJP-led state government is issuing permits. The MNS chief alleged that the BJP-led government’s haste in issuing these permits was to benefit a particular company that manufactures three-wheelers, each costing Rs 1.7 lakh. He added: " When you see any new rickshaws with new number plates, stop them, take the passenger and driver out of the vehicle and burn the rickshaws,” he said. According to Thackeray, almost 70-72 per cent of those who were issued permits were people from outside the state. Soon after Thackeray's statement a rickshaw was found burned on Thursday night adjacent to the Andheri RTO. Thackeray's statement had drawn flak from across the country. Bihar legislators on Thursday 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. The Maharashtra Police had also claimed that it was looking into Thackeray's speech. MNS party insiders claimed that the decision to call off the agitation stemmed from the negativity that the campaign had generated.
