Chhath Puja okay, just don’t make it a political show: Raj

Speaking at a press conference, for which MNS took permission from the police, as Raj has a gag order against him till November 20, Thackeray criticised the Maharashtra Government and Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh for withdrawing his security and termed the move as “political vendetta”. Raj’s Z-security cover was removed after his release on bail and he currently doesn’t have state security. “I had not asked for security in the first place. But, now it has been withdrawn, this is clearly political vendetta. The Government keeps changing and even I will have a chance tomorrow,” he said.

Thackeray also ridiculed demands to book him under the NSA. “When Lalu Prasad was the Chief Minister of Bihar, there were 1,200 murders. But, there was no demand to book him under NSA. When Biharis were killed in Assam, there was no uproar. A Goan minister opposed starting of a Goa-Bihar railway by saying that the state did not want more beggars. Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit also spoke against people of Bihar and UP. But, only when Raj Thackeray speaks, there is a nationwide uproar and the Prime Minister has to intervene.”

The MNS chief also said that he would not allow anybody to harm “Marathi identity”. “Political rivals who do not see eye-to-eye on several issues come together. But, it is very unfortunate that the 48 MPs from Maharashtra are mute spectators,” he said referring to the delegation of Bihar politicians meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Justifying the killing of a youth who had hijacked a bus in Mumbai, Raj said the police action was “proper” as no one knew from which state the youth came from. “What if he had shot some commuters, then you people would have taken the police to task. At the time of the incident, did anyone know who he was or where he had come from to make any allegations about police intentions?” he said.

He also downplayed the killing of a youth in a suburban train during a brawl with a group of youngsters. “Even the railway police are saying that there has been no involvement of any political party,” Raj said.