Maharashtrians in UP opposed to Thackeray

LUCKNOW: Maharashtrians living here are opposed to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, who was arrested and later granted bail for inciting violence against north Indians.

In Lucknow, which is home to nearly 300 Maharashtrian families, the community members have termed Thackeray's act as "dirty" politics to impress a particular section of the society.

"Our constitution cannot accept Thackeray's act against north Indians. In a country like ours, everyone is free to move in any region of the country in search of livelihood," Lucknow Maharashtra Samaj (LMS) president JV Vashampayan said.

"It is unfortunate that in a country like ours that offer right to equality to everyone, people are being targeted for moving out of their native place to work in other regions dominated by specific communities," he added.

LMS members feel that there were possibilities of a backlash against Maharashtrians living in northern states, if the government does not take steps to counter attacks on north Indians.

Besides Lucknow, Maharashtrians live in large numbers in Kanpur and Varanasi districts of the state.