Mumbai: Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil has stepped in to try and stop the Marathi Manoos versus North Indians war of words, saying that the Mumbai Police will find out if recent statements by leaders like Sanjay Nirupam, Raj Thackeray and Abu Azmi were inflammatory.
"The report is expected in two days, after which the nature of action to be taken will be decided, if anything objectionable is found," Mr Patil said.
Sanjay Nirupam, incidentally, is from the Congress which is an ally in the Maharashtra government with Mr Patil's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
While Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray wrote in party mouthpiece Saamna that Mumbai would always belong to Marathis and not outsiders, his nephew and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray went a step further and warned of riots if parties like the Congress and Samajwadi Party did not stop making "provocative statements."
Leaders like Abu Azmi from the Samajwadi Party have been quoted as saying that Mumbai belongs to everybody who lives and works there and not to any particular group or community. The comments came during the recently-concluded Chhath Puja, which is a major religious event for people from Bihar and neighbouring north Indian regions.
Attempts by parties like the Congress and the Samajwadi Party to play to the North Indian electorate clearly seem to be with an eye on the Mumbai municipal polls expected to be held a few months later. The Shiv Sena has dominated the municipal scene in Mumbai along with its ally Bharatiya Janata Party for many years now.
"The report is expected in two days, after which the nature of action to be taken will be decided, if anything objectionable is found," Mr Patil said.
Sanjay Nirupam, incidentally, is from the Congress which is an ally in the Maharashtra government with Mr Patil's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
While Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray wrote in party mouthpiece Saamna that Mumbai would always belong to Marathis and not outsiders, his nephew and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray went a step further and warned of riots if parties like the Congress and Samajwadi Party did not stop making "provocative statements."
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Leaders like Abu Azmi from the Samajwadi Party have been quoted as saying that Mumbai belongs to everybody who lives and works there and not to any particular group or community. The comments came during the recently-concluded Chhath Puja, which is a major religious event for people from Bihar and neighbouring north Indian regions.
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Attempts by parties like the Congress and the Samajwadi Party to play to the North Indian electorate clearly seem to be with an eye on the Mumbai municipal polls expected to be held a few months later. The Shiv Sena has dominated the municipal scene in Mumbai along with its ally Bharatiya Janata Party for many years now.
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