Raj explains his son-of-the-soil stand to North Indians
Citing two quotes of Indian politicians, first includes President Dr Rajendra Prasad and second former Prime Minister late Indira Gandhi over disputes between states over ‘son-of-the-soil’ issue, Raj Thackeray, chief of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena asked North Indians is it wrong that youths of Maharashtra be given first priority in jobs in their own state? Raj clarified that he is not against North Indians, but they should ask their own states about the backwardness in development which forced them to migrate in Mumbai and Maharashtra and forced them to accept insulting living.
Raj, for the first time, shared a dais of North Indian organisation. Uttar Bharatiya Mahapanchayat Mahasangh had invited Raj to address North Indians and to clarify doubts in the minds of the community. Raj had invited questionnaire from the organiser to understand the doubts. Speaking in Hindi for the first time at a public rally, Raj said, Hindi is not a Raj Bhasha (National language). “Hindi is undoubtedly a beautiful language, but it's wrong that it's the national language. Never ever was a decision made upon national language. Like there is Hindi language, there is Marathi, Tamil, Gujarati, all of these are the languages of this nation,” said Raj. He said that he was speaking in Hindi to ensure people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar can understand him. He blamed criminals who migrated to Mumbai from UP, Bihar and Jharkhand increasing crimes in the city and Maharashtra.
“Muslims migrated from Azamgad and Pratapgad were responsible for Azad Maidan riot in which police and media persons were beaten and women police were molested. No local Muslim was involved in the riot,” said Raj. “The third and fourth generations of North Indians are staying in Mumbai, Thane with peace. But, the criminals who came to Mumbai have disturbed law and order situation. Police have to go to UP, Bihar and border of Bangladesh in search of criminals. Women in Maharashtra are not safe because of such criminals and MNS cannot play the role of mute spectator,” he warned. He blamed the government of UP and Bihar for lagging behind in development. He said that there is an example of violence between ‘sons of the soil’ and migrants since before the British era and since the year 1200. “When Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Gujarat expels Biharis from their state, and in Aasam, there was a huge protest against North Indians, nobody spoke about it and nobody questioned Modi. But, if I raise the same issue, it becomes a national issue. I will not tolerate if people from outside will grab jobs of Marathi youth. This is my answer. Convey my stand with your community. It will be good, if they will listen, else, we are here (to expel you) and this is not ‘dadagiri’ (threatening),” Raj cleared his stand.
“If there are job opportunities in Maharashtra, is it wrong that the youth of Maharashtra be given first priority? If an industry is set up in UP tomorrow, then youth there should be given first preference, the same should happen in Bihar, what is wrong in it?,” he said.