Mayawati slams Maharashtra govt for attacks on 'North Indians'

Lucknow, Feb 4 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today condemned attacks on north Indians in Maharashtra and urged the Centre to intervene in the matter to ensure proper security and safety to persons targeted by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena headed by Raj Thackrey.

''Such incidents are highly objectionable and condemnable, besdie being violative of the basic spirit of the constitution which never provided that outsiders cannot live and earn livelihood in Maharashtra,'' she told a press conference.

Being critical of the Maharashtra government for not taking appropriate action in this regard, Ms Mayawati said ''I urge the Central government to intervene in order to instil sense of secuirty among the north Indians living in Maharashtra.'' She said the timley preventive action by the Maharashtra government could have saved the situation from taking an ugly turn.

The UP CM wondredd how persons other than the natives of Maharshtra could be prevented to live there and asked to leave the state. ''This clearly is against the constitutional provisions and should be looked into on an urgent basis,'' she said. Adding that ''every citizen has a right to live and earn bread and butter anywhere in India he or she desires and Maharashtra is also the part of this country .'' Ms Mayawati's reaction came in the wake of Raj's partymen attacking north Indians, particularly those from UP and Bihar, and their properties.

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