He blamed the migration into Mumbai on the erstwhile Shiv Sena and BJP government's decision to grant free houses to slum dwellers
In a major change in his anti-outsider, anti-migrant image, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray reached out to North Indians by addressing them on his party's position on preference to be given to Maharashtrians in jobs and employment.
Asking people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to take their politicians to task for failing to develop their states which led to job seekers migrating elsewhere, Raj, who made his first public speech in Hindi, justified his nativist stance. He blamed the migration into Mumbai on the erstwhile Shiv Sena and BJP government's decision to grant free houses to slum dwellers.
"Mumbai and Thane were different before 1995," charged Raj, blaming unmitigated migration from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for the rising crime graph. He questioned the audience if they would tolerate it if the situation was similar in their home states.
"If employment is available in Maharashtra, then local youth must get preference. What is wrong in it? If industry comes up in UP, locals must get preference. The same holds true in Bihar. There is nothing wrong in it," said Raj.
The outreach is said to be an attempt by Raj, whose party is said to be exploring the possibility of being part of an anti-BJP alliance comprising the Congress and NCP, to dilute his hardline image.
"When people fromUP, Bihar go to other states, they are insulted and beaten up," said Raj, adding these people needed to take politicians to task for failing to ensure development and industrialisation. He said UP people needed to question PM Modi why youth had to migrate despite him being elected from the state.
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