Cong chief, Modi fight over MNS issue

PATNA: The state Congress chief Anil Kumar Sharma has crossed swords with Bihar deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi for the latter’s claim with respect to
the attacks on Bihari and north Indian students in Mumbai that Congress was responsible for it.

On the other hand, CPI, expressing concern over the happenings in Mumbai and its fallout in Bihar reflected in the arson caused and committed by students returning from Mumbai, said that Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray had taken to fascist methods, which poses a serious danger to both democracy and the country’s unity.

CPI state council member Jabbar Alam said that Raj Thackeray and his organisation have been undermining Constitution and law of the land. It amounted to bulldozing his way to bring about a fascist rule by crushing public opinion, he added.

Sharma, criticising Modi, said that his claim was condemnable, and also asserted that BJP, in fact, was responsible for the entrenchment of Shiv Sena and its chief Bal Thackeray as well as Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and its chief Raj Thackeray in the affairs of Maharashtra, even as they believed in and practised narrow politics based on caste, religion, regionalism and chauvinistic ambitions.

According to Sharma, BJP entered into an opportunistic alliance with Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and also helped in paving the way for the rule of this party on Maharashtra. He called it “misdeeds and hunger for power” of the BJP.

Sharma even said that Shiv Sena and MNS volunteers, as well as “goondas and anarchical elements” indulged in attacks on Bihari and north Indian students, which was anti-national in spirit.

He said that BJP has been claiming to practise “nationalist politics,” but it was merely a “sham,” since what the Bihari students suffered in Mumbai
was a mere fallout of the misguided alliance and politics pursued by the BJP to grab and capture power.

According to state Congress working president Samir Kumar Singh, Sharma, in an appeal to the Centre, has demanded ban on SIMI, Indian Mujahideen, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, Shiv Sena, MNS and all other organisations of their ilk.

Sharma has also demanded enactment of an Act by Parliament for closing opportunities to any political party or organisation that indulge in obscurantism and raise such narrow, chauvinistic issues based on caste, religion and regionalism to capture power.

He said that Shiv Sena has been practising such politics. Despite that, BJP entered into an alliance with it during the polls for the Mumbai Municipal Corporation and state assembly adding that Modi had made himself ridiculous in the state.

Source : Times Of India