Deal sternly with divisive forces:Nitish

Patna, May 22 (UNI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today urged the Centre as well as the Maharashtra Government to take necessary action against ''those who tried to disintegrate the nation on relious, ethnic, linguistic and regional basis''.

Mr Kumar appealed to the Vilasrao Deshmukh government to hand down exemplary punishment to the notorious characters, who engineered attacks on Biharis and other non-Marathis in the state in the past. He further urged the state government to shrug off ''laxity'' and ensure security to all the sections living there.

Reacting to the recent incident of vandalism by activists of Maharashtra Nav Nirman Sena during the examination for recruitment in the Railways, the Chief Minister emphasised on upholding the provisions in the constitution which guarantee the right of people of one region to move to other regions for earning a livelihood.

Anybody trying to subvert the constitution and divide the country on the basis of caste, language, religion and region deserved punishment prescribed for anti nationals, he emphasised.

Mr Kumar pointed out that investments and manpower from other states had considerable contribution towards development of Maharashtra and stressed on maintaining a congenial atmosphere for outsiders to work in that state with security, dignity and honour.

He appealed to the people from Bihar to exercise restraint in the wake of provocation by anti-national elements.

UNI