NCP does a Raj, wants ‘redrawing of balance’

Patel, whose party is a major partner in the Congress-led Maharashtra government, saw nothing wrong in party leader Chhagan Bhujbal’s advocacy of “sons of the soil” slogan. He also asked non-Maharashtrians to respect the sentiments and culture of the state.

In an interview to a television news channel, he made a veiled attack on the lack of development in certain states from where people migrate to Mumbai which was predominantly Maharashtrian 30-40 years back.

Patel downplayed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh writing a strongly worded letter to Deshmukh on the situation in the wake of attack on some north Indians.

“The Prime Minister, as the custodian of the entire nation, is well within his moral authority to speak and ask the Maharashtra government that such things should not happen,” Patel said.

Asked whether there was a need for redrawing of balance between Maharashtrians and non-Maharashtrians in the state, Patel said, “If you do not do that, sooner or later you will not need a Raj Thackeray to do that, the people themselves will do it.”

Patel’s comments came close on the heels of a sharp attack on Maharashtra government on the issue at a meeting of the Union Cabinet earlier this week with the Prime Minister asking the Home Minister to inform Deshmukh about the ‘sense’ of the meeting.

At the same time, he stressed the need for people to be accommodative everywhere in the country. “If they won’t, the situation is definitely going to get bad. I do not wish this to happen in Mumbai or elsewhere in the country,” he said.

Patel also justified the killing of Rahul Raj in a police encounter.

“The gentleman, who was shot dead by the Mumbai Police in an encounter while in that bus, was holding many innocent people hostage. It was all over television camera. People will ask what were you doing,” he said.

Maintaining that there was no reason for the dismissal of the Maharashtra government, Patel saw no wrong in leaders from north India raising the issue of attacks, saying they were facing an ‘emotive’ issue.

“They have a valid reason to raise a certain issue because it concerns people from their state. It is an emotive issue,” Patel said.

The NCP leader, whose party holds the Home portfolio in the state, took pains to emphasise that the state government had acted against the MNS chief and dismissed as ‘laughable’ suggestions that Congress-NCP was backing him.

He noted that Thackeray has been arrested in as many as 88 cases. “He has 88 cases registered against him. He has got bail from court. Now, this is natural justice available to every citizen of India,” the civil aviation minister said.

“Since the entire process is being carried out within the framework of the law, why should we suddenly come to conclusions about a magisterial inquiry,” Patel asked while referring to the killing of Rahul Raj by police.

At the same time, he hastened to add that “We are not saying that the doors for a magisterial inquiry are closed. The fact is that for what we are asking the inquiry for? If a shop is burnt in Malad…”.

In reply to another question, he said “The fact is that the state also has to take everybody along. You just cannot be partisan. Maharashtra government cannot speak for or against just only one section of people.”

Asked why such incidents were taking place, Patel said “this is an emotive issue across the country … we have not yet been able to economically do enough for the entire nation and that is an issue … all political parties who are accusing each other should address.”

On the demands for immediate detention of Thackeray under National Security Act (NSA), he said “you reach to that level only when you have exhausted all the avenues available to you.”

On Bhujbal’s advocacy of “sons of the soil” theory, Patel wondered “What is wrong in the statement of Bhujbal?”

“Until and unless you solve the economic issues of this country things like Raj Thackeray, Nandigram, Singur and Kandhamal and lot of other things are all borne out of some kind of economic insecurity.

“We need to solve these issues. Till such time these emotive issues can be stoked by anybody. It is almost like a live wire,” he said.

“Be it Bhujbal or Narayan Rane, the fact is do we not have to look after our own people? Do we not need to give them some better position in life.

“If I do not speak for my constituency, if I do not speak for my people and their economic well being who is going to speak for them?” he asked.

Asked whether he was in favour of locals being preferred for jobs in the state, Patel said “of course it has to be. A right balance has to be struck … what was the issue Mamata (Banerjee) raised in Singur. She was talking about the land and compensation to farmers. Ultimately, it was an emotive issue. It was about connect or a disconnect which is taking place in our society.”

Strongly favouring the need for Mumbai to have a ‘Maharashtrian ethos’, he said, “The simple reason is where you live why do you not want to identify with that local culture and language. What is wrong with that? You go to Tamil Nadu, you go to Kerala, Bengal everywhere the medium of communication is the local language. Why should it be different in Mumbai?”

Patel said he did not agree with Thackeray’s views that learning Marathi is a must for migrants but favoured that they should imbibe the local culture.

“If somebody says that if you do not speak to us in Marathi and I will use force then it is wrong. The fact is that if you know and try to learn and imbibe the local culture, what is wrong in that?” he asked.

“I am not saying learn the language. At least respect the language and respect the sentiments and respect the culture of the state. At least the Maharashtrian ethos should be visible in Mumbai. I am not for signboards. The ethos is important,” the NCP leader said.