Shiv Sena not to be banned

New Delhi: The Home Minister, Mr. Y B. Chavan, told the Rajya Sabha today that Government had no proposal to declare the ‘ Shiv Sena’ unlawful.

The Home Minister was replying to Mr. A. D. Mani and several others who had expressed concern over the “anti- national” activities of the Shiv Sena.

Mr. Chavan said that instead of banning the organisation public opinion should be created about its harmful activities. The Shiv Sena was a reactionary movement, certainly, doing harm to national integrity and he had said so publicly.

He said some people motivated by wrong ideology took advantage of certain genuine grievances of Maharashtrians. Unskilled labour in Maharashtra had a feeling that they were not getting a proper share in employment opportunities and that feeling was being exploited by some people.

Mr. Mani asked whether there was increasing lawlessness in Thana and Vikroli in Maharashtra, Mr. Chavan replied that the member had an exaggerated view about it.

The Home Minister denied Mr. P. K. Kumaran’s statement that instructions had been sent to local authorities not to give preference to South Indians in employment. He said if the member would go into the question how many South Indians were employed, he would have contrary views.

Mr. Chavan told Mr. Mani that he did send a message to ‘ Morning’, the organ of the Shiv Sena. “Certainly I did send a message. I said I hope the powerful pen of the Editor will be used for the integration of the country.”

Mr. Bhupesh Gupta asked whether the Home Minister had seen a cartoon in the ‘ Morning’ showering praise on Mr. Chavan. The Home Minister said the Shiv Sena condemned him now.