“Maharashtra is part of India and I am not going to separate Maharashtra from India,” Patil said asserting national pride was above all feelings.
NEW DELHI: Disallowed from asking a question and get back at Shiv Sena MP Manohar Joshi on the issue of Maharashtra pride and attacks on migrants, Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan led a walk out by party MPs in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
Maharashtra has recently seen Shiv Sena’s breakaway faction Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) speaking against migrant north-Indians and has also been accused of instigating violence against them. The MNS also targeted Jaya Bachchan’s husband Amitabh Bachchan, questioning his contribution to Maharashtra where he had spent several decades and alleging he was more loyal to his home state UP.
Jaya strongly objected to Shiv Sena MP Manohar Joshi’s comment that there was “no anti-migrant drive” in Maharashtra, his remarks on regional pride and insistence that jobs should go to local people. Joshi also drew sharp criticism from the SP, TDP, JD(U) and the Left. Replying to a question on the issue raised by BJP’s Najma Heptullah and Congress’ Mohsina Kidwai, home minister Shivraj Patil said there was no renewed anti-migrant drive in Maharashtra.
Refusing to be drawn into the ‘son-of-the-soil’ debate, Patil asserted national pride was above everything. Patil hails from Maharashtra that has recently seen the MNS speaking against migrant north-Indians and accused of instigating violence against them.
“Maharashtra is part of India and I am not going to separate Maharashtra from India,” Patil said asserting national pride was above all feelings.
When Joshi, during a supplementary on the “anti-migrant drive” in Maharashtra, sought to know from Patil if he was proud be a Maharashtrian, the home minister said: “I am proud to be an Indian and I think Maharashtra is in India.”
After Patil’s reply, Jaya Bachchan tried to raise a question but chairman Hamid Ansari ruled that only three supplementaries would be allowed during the Question Hour. Not satisfied, Bachchan and other SP members staged a walkout of the House.
Sharad Yadav (JD-U) criticised media for “over-playing” and “glorifying” the protests by MNS and subsequent arrest of its chief Raj Thackrey, and said he should have been arrested on the very day he made anti-migrant statements.
s_rajesh@dnaindia.net
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