Gujaratis take a dig at Raj, urge him to replicate with other religions

Members of Gujarati community has taken a jibe at Raj Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) workers for pulling down signboards in Gujarati language. The community members urge the party chief to replicate the same for other language signboards as well.

A day after Raj Thackeray attacked the NDA government and called for a ‘Modimukt’ India, MNS workers had vandalised Gujarati signboards put up at six hotels in Vasai and one at a ‘dhokla’ shop in Kandivli West.

“Every now and then, after a brief hiatus, there are direct or indirect attacks on Gujaratis. Just because we are a peace-loving community and do not resort to violence, we become soft targets for political opportunists. If they have the gall, let them break the signboards of Mohammed Ali road which are in Urdu, and which are there for almost half a century,” said Ashok Patel, president of Fort Merchants Welfare Association, adding that Gujarati community has shed sweat and blood to bring Mumbai to what it currently stands.

Raj had, on Sunday, said at a rally at Shivaji Park that Modi had been nursing an old wound that Mumbai could not be part of Gujarat even after Sardar Patel had put pressure on Jawaharlal Nehru.

“Of course people who put out Gujarati banners are also at fault. If one stays in a particular city, they should have adopted its culture and language. Having said that, it is abominable to resort to such vandalism,” said Hemraj Shah, leader of Bruhad Mumbai Gujrati Samaj.

“Gujarati is the only community living in Mumbai to speak Marathi with Maharastrians. No other community does this; neither Tamilians, nor North Indians. They must at least take that into account,” Shah added.