LS adjourned over tirade against North Indians

The Lok Sabha was on Monday adjourned for 10 minutes after MPs belonging to different parties disrupted proceedings over the tirade against north Indian in Maharashtra by the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS).

Although the house discussed the issue for more than half an hour, a provocative statement by Shiv Sena leader Anant Geete made the MPs from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar stand up in protest.

As the MPs refused to listen to the plea of Speaker Somnath Chaterjee, he adjourned the proceedings for 10 minutes at 11.50 am.

"In 1966, when Bal Thackeray made similar comments, a case was filed against him under Sections 153 and 153-A. Raj Thackeray was arrested and taken to court in a procession and then he is free. Is this how law is enforced?," Singh said.

Further attacking Congress on the issue, he said North Indians have been attacked in party-ruled states like Assam and Maharashtra and also referred to Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's remarks on people from Bihar and UP migrating to the national capital.

Critical of Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, he said his statements on the issue were "contradictory".

RJD leader Devendra Yadav termed the Maharashtra scenario as an "extraordinary situation" and cited a news report about a vendor from Bihar whose arms were chopped off and sent to his native place in Siwan district during the anti-North Indian campaign.

He said it was unfortunate that such divisive activities were taking place in the same state that produced personalities like B R Ambedkar, Lata Mangeshkar, Jyotiba Phule, Sharad Pawar and Madhu Dandavate.

Yadav noted that 47 per cent of the people in Mumbai are non-Marathis and they have contributed to the economic growth of the country through hard labour.

"Central government should intervene in the matter. The law of the land should prevail. The matter should be referred to the Election Commission and MNS should be banned. Those guilty should also be banned," he said.