Bal sings Raj's tune, slams Biharis in writing

WRITE TO TALK: Bal Thackeray also says in the edit that Bihar is India's most backward state.

    

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Keywords: RJD, Lalu Prasad Yadav

New Delhi: The barbs against Biharis continue in Maharashtra. After Maharashtra Navnirman Sena supremo Raj Thackeray’s tirade against the state’s north Indian, Shiv Sena supremo too Bal Thackeray jumped into the fray.

In an editorial published in Sena mouthpiece Saamna on Wednesday, Thackeray Senior says there are no lessons to be learnt from Bihari leaders as there are several legal cases pending against them.

In the scathing write-up, Bal makes a reference to Bihar MP Prabhunath Singh who is facing criminal charges.

The Saamna article also says Bihar is the most backward state in the country because “their leaders have done nothing for the state.”

The article quotes an “anti-Bihari” SMS doing the rounds in Punjab and says Punjabis too also facing problems with Bihari migrant labourers.

Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad – who is perhaps the most prominent and prolific leader from Bihar - lost no time in reacting to the comments.

“Their dream will not be successful and Mumbai belongs to us too. We will not recall anybody instead we will send more people to Mumbai,” he said.

Thackeray's scathing remarks have also drawn a sharp response from Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda. Koda says Thackeray has lost his mental balance.

"Bal Thackeray should get his mental state checked," Koda said.

Uproar in Parliament

The issue also echoed in Lok Sabha with some MPs demanding action against the editor of the newspaper.

Devendra Yadav of RJD raised the matter as soon as the house convened for Question Hour saying such references could not be tolerated. "This is a matter relating to the dignity of Parliament. Anybody making comment on a member here amounts to contempt and action would be taken. But let us follow the procedure," Speaker Somnath Chatterjee was quoted as saying by agencies.

Later, Prabhunath Singh and Rajiv Ranjan 'Lallan' of JD(U) also took up the issue but were told by the Speaker that the matter had already been taken up in their absence.

The editorial in 'Saamana' termed Singh, an MP from Maharajganj in Bihar, as a "murderer" saying that "his place is in jail but he is in Parliament."

(With PTI inputs)