Political parties in Bihar demand immediate arrest of Thackeray

Patna, Feb 4 (UNI) Irked by ''unsavoury'' remarks by M N S Chief Raj Thackeray against Hindi-speaking people living in Maharashtra, leaders cutting across partylines in Bihar today demanded his immediate arrest and institution of criminal cases against him in accordance with law of the land.

The Congress, RJD, CPI(M) and NCP were among the major political parties, which voiced their anger over the remarks by Mr Thackeray and described them as threat to ''unity and integrity'' of the country.

Chief spokesman of Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee(BPCC) Kripanath Pathak here said that remarks of Mr Thackeray had hurt the sentiments of the people living in the Hindi belt of the country.

'' Every citizen has the right to earn livlihood in any part of the country and it could not be denied under any circumstance, '' he opined.

'' Mr Thackeray has crossed all limits of tolerance and brotherhood among various sections of the society by calling the pious Chhath festival as drama, '' Mr Pathak said describing the ongoing violence against the Hindi-speaking people in Maharastra as ''unfornunate''.

Stating that the violence should be stopped forth with, the Congress leader favoured stringent action against Mr Thackeray and said only such step could put this sort of dangerous trend under check.

Making similar demands, the CPI(M) expressed shock over the ''inaction'' of Maharashtra police during the violence, targetted against the Hindi-speaking people in that state.

The RJD workers burnt the effigy of Mr Thackeray and demanded his immediate arrest for ''unsavoury'' comments against people of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

NCP leader Suraj Yadav also also condemned the remarks of Mr Thackeray and exhorted the people not to by swayed by such incidents and maintain peace and amity.

He also demanded from the Centre to order probe to assess the property of Raj Thackeray, who had allegedly earned it through unfair means.

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